Posts from — October 2008

When it comes to working wellness into your workforce, you want someone who knows the ins and outs of health promotion, and who can counsel staff members and provide primary care – all within the context of the current regulatory and legal environment.

AAOHN’s survey reported that more than 50% of staff members (61 percent) want to receive health and wellness information from a health care professional, such as a consultant or an on-site occupational health nurse (OHN), compared to pamphlets or brochures (18 percent) or human resources staff (15 percent).

OHNs can develop, begin and evaluate components of work site Workplace Wellness Programs such as screening programs, exercise/fitness courses, Stress management, smoking cessation, nutrition and weight control programs, as well as chronic illness management programs. Plus, OHNs can help staff members navigate through complicated health plans and may even serve as a triage point between staff members and their own health care providers.

Employees might refrain from seeing their health care provider when it means time away from work, inconvenient parking, waiting time in the office and co-pays. In situations where staff members are under treatment for chronic diseases like heart disease, on-site nurses can routinely monitor risk factors such as blood pressure or cholesterol on a regular basis.

It’s frequently easier for an worker to ask an on-site nurse for information about symptoms or prescription medication than it is to schedule a follow-up visit to a own health care provider. Advantages realized by businesses include improved worker morale and retention, a recruitment advantage, increased productivity and decreased time away from work.

In businesses with a safety department, the OHN can evaluate and address work-related health issues, including participation in workstation evaluations to correct potential ergonomic problems, and proactively addressing muscle strains by developing stretching programs and involving staff members in leading stretches.

Good for waistlines & your bottom line

By Sandra Simpson, APRN, BC, COHN-S, manager in Occupational Health Services at a Fortune 500 company in Memphis, Tenn., and a member of the board of directors of the American Association of Occupational Health Nurses (AAOHN). For a copy of the AAOHN wellness survey, visit www.aaohn.org, or call (800) 241-8014, x0.

In today’s hectic world, the majority of of us are spending more time at work, and have increasingly less time to look after our health. For a long time, businesses have understood the benefits associated with keeping workers well – increased productivity from reduced absenteeism and lowered disability claims. For these reasons, coupled with the fact that many businesses realized double-digit health care costs last year, businesses should consider Workplace Wellness Programs as a way to keep staff members healthy.

But just how important are these programs to staff members? How frequently are they willing to participate in programs designed to positively impact their health and wellness? Who do staff members trust to provide them with important information about their health?

Answers to these questions and more were recently garnered from a research study commissioned by the American Association of Occupational Health Nurses Inc. (AAOHN).

The AAOHN survey questioned 500 staff members nationwide about their perceptions of Workplace Wellness Programs. More than three-quarters of all members indicated these programs are a good way to enhance their overall health, and nearly 60 percent consider these offerings an incentive to remain with their current employer. worker retention and turnover impact the bottom line, so building Workplace Wellness Programs into the work site culture is a valuable way to help retain talented staff members in addition to enhancing personal health and worksite productivity.

The Health wish list

Employees appear to have their own agenda when it comes to their health. With new economic pressures, national security threats and work/balance issues, it’s not surprising that 85 percent of survey respondents cited Stress management as a priority topic for work site wellness.

In addition to stress, other preferred topic areas include screening programs (84 percent), exercise/physical fitness programs (84 percent), health insurance education (81 percent) and disease management lunch and learns (80 percent).

In addition to lifestyle and personal health issues, those asked expressed concern about work-related health issues, including strains and injuries resulting from lifting or task-oriented muscle repetition, exposure to harmful substances, personal injury, vision changes due to computer work and worksite violence.

What you should do

With such a broad range of health concerns, a primary goal for businesses is finding a way to proactively address the health and wellness needs of the largest number of staff members, and effectively change unhealthy behaviors, promote wellness and ward off disease and illness.

Printed materials such as brochures, posters, fliers or pamphlets present an easy solution. But it’s important to remember that different staff members require different formats for learning. A good rule of thumb: provide information in a variety of learning formats such as videos, pamphlets, health-related quizzes, display boards, Lunch-and-learn presentations and reimbursement or incentive programs.

This assumes you’ve overcome the first hurdle – getting staff members to sign on to a Workplace Wellness Program. While survey respondents indicated health and Workplace Wellness Programs are important, just six out of 10 (60 percent) reported that they participated in the Workplace Wellness Programs at their businesses. The other 40 percent cited lack of interest and lack of time as deterrents.

This points to the need for a comprehensive, structured Worksite Wellness Plan using a creative approach, with an incentive for participation and effective program marketing.

By investing in an organized Worksite Wellness Plan headed by a qualified health care professional such as an on-site nurse, businesses can give staff members the access to the health information they want, and increase participation and generate interest at the same time.

The result: staff members become savvier health care consumers who feel more in charge of their own health. And healthier staff members make for a healthier bottom line.

Stress continues to drive staff members’ work-related health concerns, which is probably why the majority of respondents (78 percent) in a recent survey claim they would participate in a Worksite Wellness Plan to help their overall health and wellness.

In a recent research study commissioned by the American Association of Occupational Health Nurses, Inc. (AAOHN), 500 full-time staff members nationwide were interviewed by phone.

“Today’s staff members are clearly dealing with a lot of pressures such as the effects of 9/11, an unstable economy, national security threats and work/balance issues. There is a real opportunity for businesses to serve as an ally to their staff members by providing them with resources to better manage their physical and emotional health – anything from stress management lunch and learns to nutrition and physical fitness counseling,” says Deborah V. DiBenedetto, president of AAOHN.

Nearly 80 percent of respondents believe their health would improve if they were offered the right information and tools through a viable Workplace Wellness Program.

Topping the list of most interesting Workplace Wellness Programs cited by staff members is stress management (85 percent), closely followed by screening programs (84 percent), exercise/physical fitness programs (84 percent), health insurance education (81 percent) and disease management lunch and learns (80 percent).

More than 50% of staff members (61 percent) would prefer to receive health and wellness information from a health care consultant or on-site nurse, compared to pamphlets or brochures (18 percent) or human resources staff (15 percent).

Effective Workplace Wellness Programs include the use of data sources in support of Worksite Wellness Plan planning, implementation, and evaluation. Data sources can be used to complete a community needs assessment, develop realistic Worksite Wellness Plan goals and objectives, and gain Upper Management support.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): Data and statistics
• http://www.cdc.gov/DataStatistics/
• Data and statistics are available by topic (i.e., asthma, injuries, MRSA).
• Data access tools are available to customize information tables and query datasets (i.e., Healthy People DATA2010, smoking-Attributable Mortality, Morbidity, and Economic Costs).
• Nationwide survey information is available (i.e., National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES)).

CDC Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS)
• http://www.cdc.gov/brfss/index.htm
• BRFSS is the world’s largest, ongoing telephone health survey system. BRFSS has been tracking health conditions and risk behaviors in the US yearly since 1984.
• Chronic Disease Indicators are divided into seven categories: physical activity and nutrition, tobacco and alcohol use, cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, overarching conditions, and other disease and risk factors.
• Prevalence information is also available (i.e., weight classification by Body Mass Index and age).

Keeping Worksite Wellness Plan information organized is critical in order to be able to determine Worksite Wellness Plan impact and participant progress. Use the simple steps below to keep your information organized.

Manage Worksite Wellness Plan information electronically.
• Storing Worksite Wellness Plan outcomes information electronically is the best way to manage that information.
• An electronic system will enable you to review and analyze the information more efficiently.
• Scan old surveys and other Worksite Wellness Plan information that exist only on paper into .pdf format for permanent storage.

Find the Worksite Wellness Plan system that works best for you.
• Some staff members are more comfortable with spreadsheet applications; others prefer to work with database applications.
• You will be more likely to use a Worksite Wellness Plan that you are familiar and/or comfortable with.
• Standardize information collection and organization. Keep information columns/fields in the same order for all Workplace Wellness Programs.

Keep the Worksite Wellness Plan as simple as possible.
• You do not have to be a Wellness Programming wizard or use complicated data entry interfaces in order to manage Worksite Wellness Plan outcomes information.
• A simple spreadsheet is an excellent way to keep your information organized.

Store all Worksite Wellness Plan data numerically.
• Using numbers (instead of words) will make the information much easier to enter and analyze. By way of example: use “1” for yes; “0” for no OR “1” for male; “2” for female.
• Number survey responses that contain strings of words. By way of example: instead of entering the responses: “patient education videos”, “news,” or “no TV,” number the responses so you only have to enter “1,” “2,” or “3.”

Label all Worksite Wellness Plan data clearly.
• Ensure that all the data columns, rows, or fields are labeled. The information is worthless if you don’t know what information is in which column.
• The spreadsheet/database should include an explanation for column, row, field, and data abbreviations and a key for numbered responses.

Use consistent Worksite Wellness Plan data units.
• Ensure that all information entered into a given column is expressed with the same unit of measure. By way of example, enter all heights as total inches, not as a combination of feet and inches.
Putting your data in order by using a simple system that works for you will enable you to track participant accomplishments. Keeping your information organized also makes it easier to communicate Worksite Wellness Plan impact to leadership and make Worksite Wellness Plan improvements as needed.

Worksite Wellness Plan data collection and assessment is frequently avoided because of a perceived lack of resources for this very important Worksite Wellness Plan component. Use the suggestions below to take advantage of a variety of resources available at your company or in the local community.

Medical Interns and Residents
• If your Onsite Medical Center has an internship Workplace Wellness Program, get to know the Internship Director.
• Take advantage of these resources – including having the Director and/or interns/residents begin the outcome information collection plan for your Workplace Wellness Program.

Local college and graduate students
• Where appropriate volunteer agreements are in place, use local college/graduate students to help collect, input, and analyze Worksite Wellness Plan data.
• Take advantage of the fact that these students are frequently looking for projects.
• If there are no “health-related” students/interns in your area, consider using company students. Let them calculate a cost avoidance or return on investment for your Workplace Wellness Program.

Other Medical Personnel
• Partner with other Medical Personnel. Determine who is collecting information, what information they are collecting, and how they are collecting it.
• If they are using a survey and the survey administration process is already in place, ask if you can add a question or two.
• Be aware of other research going on at your facility. They may already be collecting information you need OR may have assessment resources that can be shared.
• Ensure that other departments in the Medical center know you can always use some extra help if they have personnel with any down time. Use these resources for information entry or other administrative tasks.
• Make use of the volunteers to help collect and input data.

Previous Worksite Wellness Plan members
• Previous Worksite Wellness Plan members are also a good resource.
• They may be willing to lead a class session, provide encouragement to current Worksite Wellness Plan members, or help collect data.
You can enhance data collection and assessment by taking advantage of local resources. Using these resources expands the reach and impact of your Workplace Wellness Program.

A gap analysis is an assessment tool that enables a company to compare its current capabilities and performance with industry benchmarks and expectations for performance. A gap analysis is used to identify areas that have room for improvement.

Gap analysis can also be used for your Worksite Wellness Plan to determine where the program stands now and how the Worksite Wellness Plan can better follow evidence-based recommendations.

To begin a gap analysis, ask these simple questions about your Workplace Wellness Program:
• What is the current state of the Workplace Wellness Program?
• How does the Worksite Wellness Plan measure up to evidence-based practices? (i.e., the desired state)

The gap is the difference between the current and desired states.

After the gap has been identified, the next step is to determine the action steps that are needed to close the gap. These actions answer the question: “How can the Worksite Wellness Plan move forward towards the desired state?”

Sometimes the gaps that need to be filled can be addressed through Worksite Wellness Plan changes; other gaps might require policy changes. However, using a gap analysis will help you identify areas for Worksite Wellness Plan improvement as well as the actions needed to make progress towards those goals.

Worksite Wellness Plan company plan review (from Key #19)
• A Worksite Wellness Plan company plan is a roadmap for success.
• Your Worksite Wellness Plan company plan should convincingly demonstrate that your Worksite Wellness Plan will help the organization to achieve its goals.

More smart Worksite Wellness Plan company planning strategies

Planning the Worksite Wellness Plan
• Determine how your organization plans so that your planning process will be in sync with what already happens in the company.
• Involve other staff members. A planning team brings their combined experience and perspective to the process. Including potential partners as you plan will make it easier to get their buy-in later.

Thinking of the big picture
• Look at the barriers and challenges that might be encountered during Worksite Wellness Plan implementation. Develop strategies ahead of time to overcome these potential problems.
• Do a SWOT assessment and examine Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats.

This assessment will help you identify potential problem areas or resource shortfalls as well as opportunities for growth or raised partnerships with other company personnel.

The WORST company planning strategy: sitting in your office; working by yourself.

The best Worksite Wellness Plan company planning strategies
• Get out of your office; get out of the company. The more staff members you involve in the Worksite Wellness Plan planning process, the better. Always look for ways to expand your network.
• Keep your budget staff members informed. Get to know their philosophy of financial management.
• Be able to articulate the impact if your budget is not fully funded.
o Stay away from basing your impact-if-not-funded argument only on: “We have to.”
o Instead, describe the impact-if-not-funded with phrases like: injuries to workers, increased compensation costs, increased medical care costs for patients, lost work time, loss of licenses/accreditations, loss of workload to the Tricare network.
• Always have purchase requests ready to be submitted. There is frequently a short window of time to process these requests. Having the information gathered ahead of time will make it easy to submit the information right away.

A well thought-out Worksite Wellness Plan company plan is critical in these times of shrinking budgets and resources. A good company plan will help you gain leadership support and help you get and keep resources needed to begin the Workplace Wellness Program.

A company plan is a roadmap for success. Use the guidelines below to develop a realistic company plan and budget for your Workplace Wellness Programs.

What is a company plan?
• A plan for success
• A document that convincingly demonstrates that your Worksite Wellness Plan will help the organization to achieve its goals.

Questions to ask when developing a Worksite Wellness Plan company plan
• Why do you need to do the Workplace Wellness Program?
• What are you going to do?
• Where are you going to do it?
• Who is the target audience?
• How are you going to do it?
• Who is going to begin the Workplace Wellness Program?
• How much will the Worksite Wellness Plan cost Upper Management?
• What is Upper Management going to get out of the Workplace Wellness Program? Why should Upper Management invest in the Workplace Wellness Program?

Worksite Wellness Plan company Plan Components
• Title and duration of the Worksite Wellness Plan
• Points of contact
• Background information (description of need; bibliography/literature review; how the Worksite Wellness Plan will help achieve the company’s goals)
• Worksite Wellness Plan description
• Goals and objectives
• Implementation site
• Target population
• Work plan
• Partnerships and collaborations
• Timelines and milestones
• Budget and resource requirements (dollars and staff members)

Gaining the support of leadership
• Clearly link the Worksite Wellness Plan goals and objectives to the organization’s strategic plan.
• Focus on the desired outcomes.
• Use the right language for the right audience. By way of example, Upper Management is interested in decreased clinic visits, raised provider productivity, management of the health of the population. However, Upper Management is interested in raised readiness, decreased lost duty/training time, and decreased disability and FECA claims.
A well thought-out Worksite Wellness Plan company plan will help you gain leadership support, help you get and keep resources needed to begin the Workplace Wellness Program, and keep the Worksite Wellness Plan on track towards meaningful outcomes.

As they say: “timing is everything.” Use the guidelines below to guide the timing of Worksite Wellness Plan activities and data collection.

Timing: Worksite Wellness Plan Start-up
• Look at the optimal time to start a new Workplace Wellness Program. Take into account preferences of the target population and other factors that could affect enrollment and participation.
• By way of example, coordinating the start of an adult weight management initiative with the start of school in August or September may be a good tie-in with a “fresh start.”
• On the other hand, starting an adult weight management initiative In January may not be a great idea because of the constraints that weather may put on exercising outdoors.
• Take advantage of other timing cycles at your company. Planning a marketing blitz just after the PCS turnover has been completed is a good way to let new personnel know what Worksite Wellness Plan options are available.

Timing: Worksite Wellness Plan Participant Support
• Look at how frequently Worksite Wellness Plan sessions should be offered to provide the best support and education for members and the best opportunity for success.
• Get feedback from members regarding what session frequencies work best for them.
• Look at the timing for other support mechanisms like email encouragement. What timing of those messages will benefit members most: Weekly? Bi-monthly? Monthly?

Timing: Worksite Wellness Plan Data Collection
• Collecting information is an excellent way to track participant progress and also to identify potential problems within a Workplace Wellness Program. So, give some thought to the frequency and timing of data collection.
• Select metrics that can realistically change during the Worksite Wellness Plan implementation time period. By way of example, BMI and weight may not change very much during a 10-week Workplace Wellness Program; however, step counts are more likely to noticeably change.
• Some information, such as participant responsiveness to out-of-class assignments (like food journals) and other interim data (like step counts) will provide important information needed to “adjust fire” as needed and make Worksite Wellness Plan changes if something is not working.
• Be flexible regarding data collection frequency. Instead of requiring that members complete an physical fitness log every day, for example, consider asking for a “snapshot” summary from two or three days during the week. You will still get information to review, but members will have an easier time complying with the assignment.

Timing: Worksite Wellness Plan Follow-up
• Because the we are such a mobile population, it’s best to plan some sort of post-Workplace Wellness Plan follow-up data collection within two to four months after the Worksite Wellness Plan ends.
• You can always try to collect additional follow-up data at 6 or 12 months after Worksite Wellness Plan completion. However, if you collect the information sooner, you’ll at least have collected some short term Worksite Wellness Plan impact information before members are lost to follow-up.