Wellness Matters in Business
If you run a business and offer any wellness program, you know healthier employees are more likely to participate in those programs than others who may objectively have more needs. You already know not everyone aspires to vibrant health. Which makes it all the more important to support those employees willing and eager to do the work to make wellness a priority and expand their awareness of potential care options. There’s a spillover effect to less motivated employees that may not be measured well, but it’s there.
Your job as an employer isn’t to make and keep your employees and staff healthy and well. Your job is to create and maintain a safe work environment and meet the objectives of your business. If your employees are lucky, your wellness program goes beyond the usual suspects of smoking cessation, weight loss, reducing stress (although the latter is definitely an evergreen program) and educates and inspires employees to become aware of the many healing choices they have.
“The high cost of health care” has become an accepted mantra and depends on utilization of services. I see excess consumption of services by consumers who are fearful and think more care means better health. They are unaware of marketing ploys (I said it) that keep them conditioned to consume. Much care can be questioned or looked at from a different view.
Does anyone on your wellness team inform your employees about their need to assess the usefulness or even advisability of “routine exams” and “regular check-ups”?) No smart employer will attempt to limit use of services. But a smart employer will retain professional health experts who know how to educate employees about the healthcare system and the risks and reality of over-consumption of services. Gym memberships and the like are great, but costs skyrocket once an employee gets diagnosed with anything, even if the diagnosis is vague. Any medical term ending in “-itis” (arthritis, for example) means inflammation and inflammation is the cause of most disease. But causes of inflammation are weakly addressed, if at all.)
Employees who are informed about or sensitized to different, even non-medical, care options are better prepared to make more sound choices when surprised or even shocked with a diagnosis. They’ve already been alerted to how the healthcare system advances medical treatment and are better prepared with questions to discuss options.
I don’t practice primary care, and never aspired to that role. I don’t diagnose, treat, or in any way involve myself in direct patient care. I do encourage interested employees to consider the many options of care.
Healthcare costs can vary wildly, affecting employers and the financial health of their business and not necessarily resulting in better care and better outcomes for employees.
Contact me at 541-725-5977 if you’d like to have a conversation about how I might bring more reason and light to your wellness program. Or have a conversation with your team about healthcare cost-savings where everybody wins.
