One of the key elements of modern
health care is preventive medicine, as
opposed to fixing problems once they occur. Many corporations run a good wellness program as part of their overall
employee fitness initiative. Those programs
need to go beyond helping workers quit
smoking or teaching them about proper diet
and weight control.
Regular screenings for employees and
physicals for executives are critical components of any effective wellness programs,
according to Ron Hawes, M.D., the medical
director of executive health at Akron
General Health System.
Also, Hawes adds, both employers and
payers should emphasize and incentivize
those actions that show individuals are trying to take personal responsibility for the
improvement of their and their family’s
health. In other words, stop basing health
care on sick care and how to pay for it,
instead focusing on driving home wellness
and prevention.
Smart Business spoke with Hawes about
what it takes for a company to implement a
successful wellness program for its executives and employees.
Why are regular screenings and physicals
important to an effective wellness program?
Prevention, prevention and prevention.
These programs can and should be designed
to find problem areas in an employee’s or
executive’s health and enable these conditions to be identified and addressed in a timely manner. Health problems are easier to
solve or treat the earlier they are identified,
especially in the older age groups.
Who on the executive or management team
should get mandatory physicals?
Anyone who has a family or health history
where there are areas of concern should be
seriously encouraged to participate. Key
executives owe it to themselves and the company they are working for to do all that there
is in their power to take good care of themselves, including living healthy lifestyles and
following up on any medical problems identified by their partners in their health planning/treatments.
Are we talking annual physicals?
This depends. Most executives do not need
annual physical assessments unless there is
some medical condition or risk factor that
needs to be carefully followed. Age is also a
factor. The older a person becomes the more
intensely prevention needs to be followed.
How about the staff?
Employees may generally need the same
preventive screening tests as executives.
Again, the major differences are not due to
the level of work one does but what his or her
family history shows. Past health risk factors
and current conditions that are already diagnosed will dictate who and when to test.
Should checkups be simple blood and weight
screenings or something more complex?
Simple screening tests, such as blood pressure, weights, urinalysis, cholesterol or blood
sugar, can be done more frequently and cost
effectively. More involved testing, such as
cardiac stress testing, colon cancer screening, or breast cancer screening, can be
reserved for those individuals at recommended ages and who are at higher risk.
These tests would be done less frequently but
individually directed based upon risk factors
to maintain cost-effectiveness while balancing recommended medical guidelines.
What else should be covered?
Many types of testing can be covered, but
all are generally aimed at discovering diseases that can benefit from early detection
and treatment. Above all, the testing must be
cost-effective. As much as possible, the program should avoid duplication of services
with the primary care physician.
What about workers with known conditions
like diabetes or back problems?
It is best if the program’s goal is to screen
for conditions, but treatments should be followed up by the employee’s physician for
medical management. The employee-physician relationship and the medical home concept with the primary care physician continue to be the best models of health care delivery. Any program sponsored at the work-place should augment or supplement care
given by the employee’s personal physician.
Will health insurance plans cover these company-mandated checkups?
The reimbursement issue is best predetermined by the employer and the insurance
company and should be designed to ensure
maximum participation of the working staff.
Only by maximum participation with a full
understanding of the nature and burden of
expenses involved will this kind of health
program be successful.
Should employees use a company-appointed
physician or their own doctor?
In all cases, having both types of medical
practitioners participating is ideal. In some
cases, there may be a company-appointed
physician, complemented by a referral list of
primary care physicians for employees to
pick from for their long-term care. In other
cases, a primary care physician could also
double as the company physician.
RON HAWES, M.D., is the medical director of executive health at Akron General Health System. Reach him at [email protected].
