Guidance on Development of Employer Value Dashboards

Recent industry surveys indicate that a majority of employers are offering health and well-being (HWB) programs to their employees,1,2 but the reasons for offering them have changed over time. While a desire to improve employee health and contain rising health-care costs remain important, employers increasingly recognize a broader value proposition for investing in workforce HWB. A 2019 survey found employers are more likely to seek outcomes such as improved productivity and employee morale as well as reductions in injury rates and turnover.3 Demonstrating how workplace HWB initiatives are linked to such outcomes is challenging. As consultants, researchers, and practitioners working in the workplace wellness field for decades, we’ve often observed organizations that are benefits and data rich but information poor. Even when organizations invest in data warehouses and have access to sophisticated real-time reporting platforms, they struggle to organize the data into meaningful narratives that convey the value yielded by their investment. In 2018, Health Enhancement Research Organization (HERO) convened a large group of subject matter experts, employers, industry vendor suppliers, consultants, and practitioners to discuss how to approach measurement, evaluation, reporting, and dashboard development within their organization.4 A key point raised by several subject matter panelists was the need to identify who will be using the information that is shared and for what purpose. Additionally, the observation was made that there is a tremendous amount of time and energy invested in the development of client-specific dashboards and that a standardized approach and metrics would be of benefit to all involved. Therefore, the convening launched an effort focused on providing guidance for employers on development of a Value Demonstration Dashboard that informs decision-making regarding ongoing investments in workforce HWB. This article aims to share this guidance, with a focus on steps for development and identification of metrics that will be most meaningful for performance insight and informed decision-making by business leaders. But first, it’s important to clarify what we mean by a Value Demonstration Dashboard

Preventing Chronic Disease in the Workplace: A Workshop Report and Recommendations

Chronic disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. Risk factors and work conditions can be addressed through health promotion aimed at improving individual health behaviors; health protection, including occupational safety and health interventions; and efforts to support the work–family interface. Responding to the need to address chronic disease at worksites, the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention convened a workshop to identify research priorities to advance knowledge and implementation of effective strategies to reduce chronic disease risk. Workshop participants outlined a conceptual framework and corresponding research agenda to address chronic disease prevention by integrating health promotion and health protection in the workplace

Recommendation to Reduce Patients’ Blood Pressure and Cholesterol Medication Costs

The Community Preventive Services Task Force recommends reducing patient out-of-pocket costs (ROPC) for medications to control high blood pressure and high cholesterol when combined with additional interventions aimed at improving patient–provider interaction and patient knowledge, such as team-based care with medication counseling, and patient education

Disease Management as a Part of Total Health and Productivity Management

When adults become ill they typically use more than just medical care services. They often miss time from work or incur periods of short term disability. In some cases, they also use workers' compensation, occupational health or long term disability programme services and, in some situations, sick employees may attend work but be substantially less productive. Disease management programme vendors can enhance their services by managing the full spectrum of health and productivity programme services that people use, not just medical care services. Health and productivity management (HPM) refers to the coordination of the many types of services that employees use. These services include medical care, disability programmes, workers compensation programmes, employee assistance programmes, absenteeism and occupational safety programmes. HPM also refers to activities meant to enhance on-the-job productivity. HPM requires that disease management programme managers take a broader view of health and disease management than is typical. These programme activities may include deciding which disease(s) to address as priorities; developing treatment guidelines that focus on more than just clinical care; choosing appropriate and relevant outcome measures to address; implementing interventions that enhance productivity, improve health, and limit unnecessary medical care use; and supporting continuous quality improvement efforts. Considering these activities under an HPM umbrella requires a focus on productivity and quality of life that will add substantial value to the services offered by disease management programmes. The HPM approach will be more costly initially, but should prove more cost effective in the long term, since it considers a much wider array of potential benefits from health and disease management.Disease management programmes, Pharmacoeconomics