Companies’ health initiatives lauded
Businesses and employees benefit
A national nonprofit organization that seeks out forward-thinking approaches to worker health and benefits issues has recognized three companies for excellence in the health care benefits they offer their employees. Morristown, NJ-based Honeywell Corp.; Union Pacific Railroad, based in Omaha, NE; and Atlanta-based GE Energy are recipients of The National Business Group on Health (NBGH) President’s Award for Excellence in Health Care Benefits.
“The Business Group honors and recognizes employers that are leading the way to providing excellent benefits, information, and services to employees that will help moderate the growth in health costs as well as improve quality of life and health,” says Michael Davis, chairman of the NBGH board. “This year’s recipients demonstrated continued commitment to providing affordable, high-quality health benefits.”
Honeywell provides HealthResource
Technology and manufacturing giant Honeywell received the President’s Health Benefits Communication Award for its HealthResource program, which focuses on improving health care quality through employee communication. “HealthResource empowers Honeywell employees by providing a diagnostic center of excellence to help employees make better decisions,” says Honeywell spokeswoman Victoria Streitfeld.
HealthResource grew from studies that indicated that while most threats to health — whether from disease or injury — have more than one treatment option, patients are often only presented with one option. HealthResource provides information to help employees counter what the company considers the primary challenges to health care — rising costs, variations in care, patient dissatisfaction, and loss of productivity.
During the first months after HealthResource was introduced, more than 42,000 Honeywell employees and family members used the on-line resources provided. “Our employees are better health care consumers, through a combination of on-site workshops and web-based tools, disease management programs, and wellness initiatives,” reports Streitfeld.
HealthResource is made available to all Honeywell employees and their families, regardless of whether they are enrolled in a Honeywell health care plan. The program employs registered nurses who are on call to answer questions and direct callers to additional resources as needed.
Union Pacific employees on Health Track
Union Pacific Railroad received the NBGH Healthy Weight, Healthy Lifestyles Award for its lifestyle change and risk reduction program, Health Track.
Health Track aims to improve physical and mental health in Union Pacific’s 47,000 employees through initiatives such as its Obesity Now program. The company says it has documented a 34% reduction over a 10-year period in medical claim costs attributable to lifestyle issues such as smoking, obesity, stress, and perceived health status.
In addition, Union Pacific analyzed its own data and found that health risks such as tobacco use and obesity can reliably be used as predictors of safety incidents.
The wellness challenge at Union Pacific is unique because of the railroad’s demographics: due to physical job demands and 24/7 work schedule, the majority of employees are male with an average age of 46, according to human resources vice president Barb Schaefer. With so many employees spending their entire careers at Union Pacific — the average employee works 30-plus years, Schaefer says, “It’s not only about costs; it’s about doing what’s right and sending employees home in even better condition long term.”
GE targets diabetes
GE Energy’s drive to reduce the threat of diabetes to its employees’ health earned the company the NBGH award for health improvement.
The company’s Diabetes at Work and cardiovascular risk assessment programs have, for the last three years, provided 7,500 GE Energy employees with screenings for diabetes, cholesterol, and blood pressure.
Diabetes at Work offers employees with diabetes, as well as employees who have been identified as being at risk for developing the disease, a six-month program of education and health coaching to help them make positive changes in diet and exercise, two factors considered most important in controlling diabetes.
Donna Tomlinson, manager of health promotions for GE Energy, says that statistics indicate the screenings, education, and outreach programs have saved at least 25 employees from heart attacks or bypass surgery. Follow-up reviews of employees who have participated in the program indicate positive changes in blood pressure, high-density lipoproteins, and triglycerides levels, she adds.
The NBGH awards are given to organizations or individuals that encourage the efficient use of health care resources, in addition to improving quality and affordability; encourage excellent practices that are started by or involve large employers; or have a proven track record of increasing value in health care through superior purchasing practices or have developed approaches, methodologies, and tools that enable outstanding health benefit management practices. The group is devoted exclusively to finding innovative and forward-thinking solutions to large employers’ most important health care and related benefits issues, and identifying and sharing best practices in health benefits, disability, health and productivity, paid time off, and work/life balance issues.
For more information, contact:
• Barb Schaefer, Vice President, Human Resources, Union Pacific Railroad, Omaha, NE. Phone: (888) 870-8777.
• Victoria Streitfeld, Public Affairs Spokeswoman, Honeywell. Phone: (973) 455-5281. E-mail: [email protected].
• Donna Tomlinson, MD, Manager, Health Promotions, GE Power Systems, Atlanta. Phone: (678) 844-6000.
A national nonprofit organization that seeks out forward-thinking approaches to worker health and benefits issues has recognized three companies for excellence in the health care benefits they offer their employees.
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