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The Business of Health Care Report
Today, I'd like to talk about
the importance of a healthy workforce. Creating healthy communities is an
ongoing theme of "The Business of Health Care Report." By focusing on the health of
employees, companies and organizations have a significant impact on this effort.
Implementing a corporate wellness program is one way to make a difference in the health
of your employees. Texas Health Resources shares with
other D/FW employers concerns about the rising costs of medical benefits and the need
to enhance organizational efficiency. By working to improve employee health through a
new wellness program called Be Healthy THR, our organization expects a positive boost
in morale from healthier, happier employees. And, studies show that healthy employees
contribute to healthier bottom lines. Johnson & Johnson reports that its wellness program
saved the company $378 per employee per year by lowering absenteeism and by slowing the
rise in the company's health care expenses. And, there's more good news.
Wellness programs can be relatively simple to implement with minimal resources. While
more elaborate programs with incentives may reap more profound results, wellness is
about developing healthy habits incrementally. Instituting even a few wellness elements,
such as physical fitness challenges or offering smoking cessation assistance, can be
beneficial. Dupont, for example, reduced absenteeism by more than 47 percent among
wellness program participants. One life insurance company attributed a 16 percent reduction
in turnover, increased productivity, and reduced stress to employee participation in wellness
activities. By investing in a healthy workforce,
employers make a positive contribution to both their workers and the community at large. For Texas Health Resources
and its family of hospitals - Harris Methodist Hospitals, Presbyterian
Healthcare System and Arlington Memorial Hospital - I'm CEO
Doug Hawthorne
with "The Business of Health Care Report" on NewsRadio 1080 KRLD. * Prevention Services, LLC
©
2004 Texas Health Resources |
I'm Doug Hawthorne, President and CEO of Texas Health Resources, with
"The Business of Health Care Report" on 