Corporate Health & Wellness Program

Cost/Benefit Approach

Total health care spending in the United States now represents 16 percent of the nation’s gross domestic product (GDP). For the past 25 years, health care spending growth has surpassed the annual rate of GDP, and that rate of growth is likely to continue. Through 2017, growth in health care spending is expected to outpace GDP by an average of 1.9 percent every year.

But savvy employers have found a way to stabilize runaway health care costs.

The 2008 Health Care Cost Survey by benefits consultant group Towers Perrin discovered a significant difference between what they classify as “high-performing” and “low-performing” companies and their health care expenditures. The survey found that, on average, high-performing companies will save $1,668 per active employee this year on total health care costs compared to the other companies.

Multiply $1,668 by the number of employees in your business, and the need to become a “high-performing” company becomes imperative.

One key characteristic of high-performing companies is a corporate investment in strategies to improve their employees’ overall health. These companies emphasize health and wellness, and support engagement in health-related programs. They help employees identify potential health problems early through prevention and screening programs, then help them with resources for effective health improvement.

The bottom line: A healthy company invests in employee health.

Today’s global economy has introduced competition beyond any we’ve experienced before. To succeed, you need a workforce that is at peak health and productivity. The World Health Organization defines health not as the absence of illness, but the state of being healthy, productive, ready and resilient. Does that describe your workforce today?

Lost productivity due to poor health costs employers an estimated three times the cost of health care claims alone. The high cost of absenteeism is easy to quantify, but presenteeism—when employees are on the job but not at peak performance because of suboptimal health—is also a factor. Workers’ compensation and disability claims also figure into the costs.

A healthy workforce is vital in today’s competitive marketplace. Providence Hospitals’ Corporate Health & Wellness Program offers a different approach to health benefits. Our program is proactive, not reactive. It focuses on illness prevention, improving fitness and nutrition, and lowering employee health risks.

Don't take our word for it!

Review the following articles about how and why workplace wellness can make an impact on your organization:

Workplace Wellness Programs Work (American Heart Association, news release, March 2, 2010)
Workplace wellness programs help employees lose weight and reduce their risk of heart disease, a new study shows.  ...more

Workplace Wellness Seems to Really Work (American Heart Association, news release, Sept. 30, 2009)
Workplace wellness programs are an effective way to reduce major risk factors for heart disease, such as smoking, obesity, high blood pressure and diabetes, says a new American Heart Association policy statement. ...more