For many companies, medical cost can consume half of their corporate profits – or more!
Some employers look to cost sharing, cost shifting, managed care plans and risk rating. But these merely shift cost.
Only workplace health programs offer a sustainable solution in keeping employees well in the first place.
Why should your company offer Wellness awareness?
 Reduced Absenteeism
Measurable increase in productivity
Appropriate use of health care benefits, and sick leave
Increased morale and loyalty
Key elements of Corporate Wellness:
Wellness days
Awareness and training tailored for employees and their company environment
Awareness and training tailored for management and their company environment
Active support for managers and supervisors. E-mail and Telephone
Information and Counselling
Active support for “At risk staff members”
Employee assistance program
HIV/AIDS management
Absenteeism management through utilisation and application of the above
Wellness days:
Wellness days are provided on-site. Wellness screening benefits employers by raising their awareness of the concept of wellness, encouraging them to engage in, healthy behaviour, and motivating them to minimise their own risk factors and exposure to disease.
Wellness days consist of:
 Screening
 Includes a lifestyle assessment questionnaire
Blood pressure measurement
Body mass index measurement
Blood glucose measurement
Education on relevant topics i.e. Healthy lifestyle, chronic diseases
Referrals to appropriate providers
Assistance to register members on relevant Disease management programs offered by their current Medical Aid
The results are confidentially captured. Staff members are then educated relating to their risk profile.
The overall risk profile of each group will be provided to the company with recommendations for preventative interventions and expected future risk without compromising confidentiality.
Education/Awareness sessions/Training for the workforce:
HIV/AIDS awareness training +/- 2 hours, includes a pack with training material, sweets, HIV ribbon and condoms
Mental Health awareness, focusing on stress, substance abuse, depression and suicide
Diabetes education – early detection and prevention
Cardiovascular, including hypertension
Cancer
Other chronic illnesses
Empowerment of members with regards to the appropriate and correct use of their Medical Aid benefits, i.e. Prescribed minimum benefits, their rights. Empowered members will claim less and ultimately reduce cost to com-nay on medical cost
This section on empowerment forms part of the conclusion to the training course.
Each training session would be customised according to your needs. In order to keep the awareness ongoing, a monthly newsletter can be provided. This tool has been instrumental in keeping the momentum going even after the awareness sessions in other clients of Paradigm Health .
Education and Training for Management:
Peer Educators/ Counsellors course HIV/AIDS management
Implementation of HIV/AIDS program according to the Dept. of Labour guidelines and code of good practice
Implementation of HIV/AIDS policy according to Dept. of Labour guideline
Time management
How to conduct productive and meaningful meetings without wasting time
Presentation skills
Personal Development
Conflict management
Self confidence and staying in control, i.e. motivation skills
Managing change
Team building
Stress management impacting on absenteeism
Mental wellness analysis in the general workplace and call centres
The impact of Alcohol and Substance dependency in the workplace
Assist with drafting of Drug and Alcohol dependency policies in the workplace
Employee Assistance Programme is an on-site based program designed to assist in the identification of productivity problems.
The program includes the following:
Consultation and training for the management team
Problem identification and assessment
Assist with setting up of relevant policies
Implementation of programs, i.e. HIV/AIDS and Mental wellness including Dependency
Absenteeism Management
Absenteeism may stem from health related issues as a result of intermittent and short term illness, chronic illness and manageable diseases. Absenteeism may also be as a result of social problems or work related problems.
By managing your employee’s health effectively, absenteeism can be reduced resulting in a more productive workforce.
Sick leave is probably the most direct measure of the impact of illness and health at the workplace. However, family responsibility leave also has an impact upon work, but reflects instead the impact of the health of employee’s families.
PARADIGM HEALTH services that will positively impact on absenteeism:
Analysis of sick leave over a period of 12 months, in order to identify if there was any change in illness patterns over the year
Absenteeism management report, including family responsibility leave
Review of existing policies and procedures and recommendations based on the findings
Training program for management
HIV/AIDS management
Assessing the cost impact of HIV and AIDS in the workplace has typically focused upon death and disability. This focus has created a misleading scenario for two reasons:
- This focus is primarily upon the impact of AIDS per se. I.e., the late stage of serious illness, and subsequent death and disability, both of which result in the exit of the employee from the workplace unless ART is accessed. However, epidemiologically, the HIV/AIDS pandemic is only presently entering a stage where AIDS deaths are significantly noticeable. Almost zero AIDS deaths (as % of population) from 1990 to 1998, followed by a small percentage (average 1.5%) till 2005. Compare the 2005 projected total prevalence of 34.8% in the sexually active population (thus works force) of Gauteng, versus the anticipated 2.4% AIDS disability and deaths. Thus, measurements of AIDS-related costs till now – primarily death and disability related – has created a sense of false security, and apathy (from a cost-to-company perspective). It is anticipated that, AIDS deaths are to climb dramatically over the next few years.
- Very few companies have assessed the impact of HIV infection prior to death and disability. This concerns the period of infection – typically about 7 to 8 years long – prior to development of AIDS. A recent study focused on the impact of employing personnel who live with HIV, prior to death and disability. As the results show, the cost-to-company is high, and will continue to constitute a significant portion of revenues for decades to come. A projection of about 26% of payroll is anticipated to be consumed by HIV-related costs by 2012.
- Staff infected with HIV is willing to work, but without the appropriate management of the disease they remain physically debilitated. The same staff on sound and appropriate HIV/AIDS management programs remains healthy and productive.
Program will cover:
Employers have effective HIV/AIDS policies and committees in place
Conducting Voluntary counselling and testing onsite
Minimising risk of new infections through knowledge and education (in 11 languages)
Relevant counselling and support
Enrolling HIV positive members onto their respective Disease management programs at Medical schemes, those members not belonging to a scheme will be referred to appropriate clinic
Providing access to HIV specialist
|
