Health, Wellness, Prevention, and Productivity (information on the new focus for health care)
Health Is More Than Physical Health
What's Here?: Focusing on health, wellness, and productivity of individuals will be a key business strategy in the years ahead. A substantial portion of the health care costs we pay are a result of the lifestyles we lead. Consumers will need to become more engaged and active participants in their health and better understand how this health care system really works (less than 25% do understand it). Health is not simply "physical health." Health includes the spiritual, emotional, intellectual, social, as well as the physical health of an individual. We'll be posting information and ideas about this growing area to help broaden the perspective of what wellness is, what it isn't, what it can do, and what it can't. The key is to get everyone engaged and participating. And, that isn't an easy task.
NEW Willis Health and Productivity Survey, 2010; Willis; March, 2011 (This is the 2010 results of the employer survey evaluating the strategies employers are using to improve prevention, wellness, and health in their workforces) Posted 4-12-12
HealthyPeople Final Review; 2010 (HealthyPeople.gov); September, 2011 (The final results of the HealthPeople 2010 initiative. The results? We met or exceeded 23% of the goals, moved along the right path for 48%, but 29% didn't move at all or moved in the wrong direction. There is a lot of interesting data here- and data we need to use to improve the health of our country) Posted 10-11-11
National Prevention Strategy; America's Plan for Better Health and Wellness; June, 2011; (The annual update for 2011 of the progress and direction for implementing a prevention and wellness strategy for the nation) Posted 7-14-11
2010 Annual Status Report; National Prevention, Health Promotion and Public Health Council; (This provides an overview of the preliminary work for developing a national strategy and the guiding principals of the implementation plan for the nation); Posted 7-14-11
A Wellness Initiative for the Nation (WIN); Samueli Institute; March, 2010 (An idea, a model, and an exceptional discussion of a wellness concept we should all embrace) Posted 3-5-11
Wellness In the Workplace; OptumHealth; November , 2010 (OptumHealth's findings of what employers are doing to introduce wellness programs- doesn't address how many people they get to participate, but that's another story) Posted 12-8-10
Healthy People 2020; US DHS; November, 2010 (The mission, vission, and goals of the Healthy People initiative. We didn't hit a lot of the goals we set for 2010- so have a ways to go) Posted 12-8-10
Fast Food FACTS; Evaluating Fast Food Nutrition and Marketing to Youth; Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity; November, 2010 (It's over 200 pages but a ton of information about fast food marketing, nutritional content, and the impact it is having on the growing obesity epidemic we are facing in our children) Posted 11-20-10
Employer Wellness Initiatives Grow, But Effectiveness Varies Widely; Natl. Institute for Health Care Reform; July, 2010; (An overview of some of the components of successful wellness programs and their results. This piece also provides an overview of the current HIPAA requirements regarding using incentives- and will be updated by PPACA) Posted 9-9-10
Social Determinents of Health: The Solid Facts; Second Edition; World Health Organization; 2003 (Something we all need to look at- Health is not only a function of the physical aspects of our lives- how we live our lives is more important) Posted 5-4-10
Successful Wellness Programs; What Separates Best-in-Class From All The Rest; Human Resources; Summer Edition 2008; Posted 3-31-10
An Ounce of Prevention; IHPM; 2009; (An interesting essay of the benefits of prevention to improve the health, wellness, and productivity of the individual); Posted 12-30-09
Driving Productivity By Investing In Health, 2008; Hewitt Associates
