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The Business of
Health Care Report Ask the CEOs of most companies what's at the heart of their organizations and they are likely to respond it is their employees. But, companies large and small face the same health challenge when it comes to the well-being of their workforce: heart disease remains the leading cause of death in America today. In fact, heart disease claimed almost a million lives in 1997. The Heart Association estimates the cost of cardiovascular diseases and stroke in the United States in 2001 will be $298 billion. More importantly, to business owners, $116 billion of this figure represents lost productivity resulting from death and complications from cardiovascular disease. And cardiovascular care is among the most expensive to diagnose and treat within the health care system, making a big dent in insurance cost increases as technology improves. But, there is good news. From 1987 to 1997 the death rate from heart attack declined 24.5 percent thanks to increased information, an emphasis on prevention, and advances in diagnosis and treatment. Businesses concerned about the costs of providing health care coverage to their employees can help them address heart disease. Here's what you can do: provide information on heart disease; encourage employees to get regular physical exams that include cholesterol checks; consider offering work-based heart health screenings; emphasize good nutrition in your cafeteria; and, encourage your employees to participate in regular fitness and exercise programs. Changing lifestyle habits is difficult. But encouraging your employees to keep their heart healthier can go a long way toward positively impacting your bottom line. In fact, Mr. or Ms. Business Owner, taking time to evaluate your heart health could be one of the most important things you do for yourself, your company's health care costs and your employees this year. If you have questions about health care or suggestions for topics on this program, e-mail me at DougHawthorne@TexasHealth.org. Tune in to News Radio 1080 KRLD and here at TexasHealth.org for more on the Business of Health Care. ©
2001 Texas Health Resources |
