Wellness is fast becoming an important part of the total health benefits package. But how can an employer or benefits advisor tell whether a wellness program will produce good results?
Here are some points to consider:
Timely feedback. Within a few weeks after a new wellness provider has completed initial assessments, it should give you a thorough statistical report on the employee population, so that you can understand your clients health risks and the potential effect of a wellness program on productivity.
Baseline projections. The initial wellness population report should include baseline projections, with estimated costs and medical savings if preventive action is taken.
Portable information. Because employers often change health providers every few years, employers need wellness programs that can work with data from many different health carriers and continue to give an employer access to tracking information even after a change in health carriers. Working with independent vendors may be the easiest way to ensure information portability.