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Dispelling the four myths of health assessments with worksite wellness
New eBook helps employers understand the role health assessments play—and don’t play—with health management programs
Highlights:
New eBook shares best practices of how to use health assessments to trigger engagement with wellness programs
eBook discusses how to evaluate a health assessment’s effectiveness
MINNEAPOLIS July 24, 2014—Myth or fact: Questions on a health assessment used with a workplace wellness program should target symptoms of chronic disease?
If you answered myth, you’re correct. Health assessments should identify precursor behaviors that lead to chronic conditions later—and then help change those negative behaviors into positive habits.
HealthFitness’ Chief Medical Director and Wellness Officer Dennis Richling, M.D., unravels this and other common myths of health assessments in a new eBook, “Dispelling the 4 myths of health assessments.”
This eBook highlights how today’s health assessments should be used to raise awareness, trigger engagement and guide strategic health management strategies—not just used as a tool to determine likelihood of disease and death.
Not all health assessments are created equal
Since health assessments first came on the public health scene in the late 1980s, they have evolved significantly from the paper-based questionnaires that solved for likelihood of disease or death.
Today’s best health assessments leverage sophisticated computer algorithms to identify individual health risks and measure motivation to change unhealthy behaviors. And the very best ones use carefully tailored feedback to take advantage of the teachable “ah-ha” moment—a far cry from the “scared straight” disease-and-death boilerplate that accompanied early models.
Among employers, a recent national Worksite Health Promotion Survey shows that about 20 percent of employers offer health assessments as part of their health promotion programs today.
For employers, the value of administering a health assessment is clear: The data from an individual assessment can be distilled into valuable information for each participant—which can become a catalyst for positive change when accompanied by other wellness program interventions. Additionally, health assessment aggregate data can inform the program choices for employer-based health management efforts.
But not all health assessments are created equal. As health assessments gain broader use among not only employers but also health plans and in clinical settings, separating myths from reality can help potential users focus on their true value.
Understand the common misconceptions about health assessments and best practices with how to use this tool by downloading the eBook, “Dispelling the 4 myths of health assessments.”
About HealthFitness
HealthFitness, a subsidiary of The Trustmark Companies, is an award-winning, URAC- and NCQA-accredited provider of health management, corporate fitness and condition management solutions. With 35-plus years of experience, HealthFitness is a proven leader and partner for infusing a culture of health. We maximize client results through personalized interaction and a science-based approach to on-site program management, engagement and prevention. For more information on HealthFitness, visit www.healthfitness.com
