Development and evaluation of employee wellness sessions in response to COVID-19.

Background: The American Diabetes Association (ADA) Diabetes Risk Test (DRT) is a screening tool to identify people at risk for developing diabetes. Individuals with a DRT score of 5 or higher may have prediabetes or diabetes and should see a healthcare provider. Objective: To determine how many additional employees are identified as being at risk for developing diabetes during an employee wellness screening by using a more stringent DRT cutoff score of 4 instead of 5. Methods: During an annual employee wellness screening event, a hemoglobin A1C (A1c) was drawn for participants with a DRT score of > 4 or by request regardless of risk score. A1C values were classified as normal (<5.7%), prediabetes (>5.7 and <6.5%) or diabetes (>6.5%). Risk scores and A1C values were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Cost of additional laboratory testing was also reviewed. Results: An A1C was collected for 158 participants. Fourteen of 50 (28%) participants with a DRT of 4 had A1c values in the prediabetes range and no history of diabetes or prediabetes. Using the lower DRT score of 4 resulted in an additional expenditure of $305 with $85.40 resulting in the identification of an otherwise unaware person at risk for developing diabetes. Conclusion: Using a DRT cutoff score of 4 as part of an employee wellness screening program resulted in additional laboratory costs to identify persons at risk for developing diabetes but also allowed for earlier education to slow or stop the progression to diabetes which may reduce healthcare costs over time.

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Prevention of Obesity at Employee Wellness Center

Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics ◽

10.1016/j.jand.2012.06.167 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 112 (9) ◽

pp. A47

Author(s):

K. Zeratsky ◽

T. Christensen ◽

M. McMahon

Keyword(s):

Employee Wellness ◽

Wellness Center

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Implementation of a financially incentivized weight loss competition into an already established employee wellness program

INNOVATIONS in pharmacy ◽

10.24926/iip.v5i3.352 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 5 (3) ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Andrew M. Schramm ◽

Kristen L. DiDonato ◽

Justin R. May ◽

D. Matthew Hartwig

Keyword(s):

Blood Pressure ◽

Weight Loss ◽

Patient Satisfaction ◽

Density Lipoprotein ◽

Lipoprotein Cholesterol ◽

Employee Wellness ◽

Wellness Program ◽

Serum Triglycerides ◽

Employee Wellness Program ◽

Pharmacy Chain

Objective: To assess improvement in clinical outcomes and patient satisfaction of a financially incentivized weight loss competition adjunct to a currently established pharmacist-directed employee wellness program. Design: Retrospective, cohort, pilot study Setting: 6 independent community pharmacy chain locations, two long-term care pharmacies, and a pharmacy corporate office in northwest and central Missouri, from January 2013 to April 2013. Participants: 24 benefit-eligible patients employed by the self- insured pharmacy chain. Intervention: A financially incentivized weight loss competition focusing on healthy lifestyle practices was implemented at nine pharmacy locations over an eight week period. Main outcome measure(s): Change from baseline in mean total cholesterol, serum triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), weight, and body mass index (BMI). Patient satisfaction was also assessed after completion. Results:24 patients completed the competition. The average weight loss among all participants was 10 ± 7.3 pounds. A mean decrease in serum triglycerides was significant at 36.9 mg/dL per participant (p Conclusion: The implementation of a financially incentivized weight loss competition provided significant short-term weight loss to a patient population that was already enrolled in an established pharmacist-directed employee wellness program and had not shown clinical improvement prior to the intervention. Overall the patients were satisfied, felt healthier, and agreed to continue following the recommendations of the program. Type: Original Research

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Employee Wellness Program in a Small Rural Industry: Employee Evaluation

AAOHN Journal ◽

10.1177/216507990505300604 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 53 (6) ◽

pp. 244-248 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Melondie Carter ◽

Susan Gaskins ◽

Lynda Shaw

Keyword(s):

Health Behavior ◽

Structured Interview ◽

Behavior Changes ◽

Employee Wellness ◽

Wellness Program ◽

Rural Industry ◽

Group Methods ◽

Interview Guide ◽

College Of Nursing ◽

Health Behavior Changes

The primary purpose of this study was to determine employees' perceptions of a wellness program resulting from collaboration between a small rural industry and a College of Nursing. Focus group methods were used to elicit evaluative data from 27 employees. A semi-structured interview guide of open-ended questions was used to elicit information. The employees readily identified the screenings and information they had received related to hypertension, blood sugar, and cholesterol to be helpful. Health behavior changes the employees identified based on the health promotion activities and screenings included diet changes, different food preparations, and exercise. The screenings were found to be beneficial because they helped them to understand the significance of the results and how they could alter them with health behaviors. The repeated screenings provided an opportunity for them to see how health behavior changes had affected their results.

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