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PREVENTIVE CARE: Wellness program works at St. John June 8, 2004 BY KIM NORRIS
FREE PRESS BUSINESS WRITER As director of medical education for the residency program at Providence Hospital in Southfield, David Marler knows more about health than most people. The 62-year-old prides himself on his general fitness and taking care of himself. So he was surprised to learn more about his own health in the last year than he had in many years through a pilot wellness program launched by his employer, St. John Health, which owns Providence. In a year, Marler lost 10 pounds, lowered his cholesterol by 10 points and his body fat by 3 percentage points, to 19 percent of his weight. He also improved his flexibility, which, along with the weight loss, alleviated chronic back problems he'd been experiencing. Marler's accomplishments also are St. John Health's gains. "I'm able to work harder," said Marler, who typically puts in 60 to 70 hours a week. "I have more stamina." St. John's experience with 435 employees enrolled in the pilot wellness program appear to confirm Marler's experience. St. John Health, whose Occupational Health department has been selling wellness programs to companies for nearly 20 years, launched its own comprehensive pilot program that targeted six health risk factors - high blood pressure, diabetes, overweight, high cholesterol, smoking and lack of physical activity. The system experienced: •76 percent exercise more. •58 percent lost weight. •84 percent eat healthier. •71 percent are more productive. "That translated into over $200,000 in cost savings in the first year," said Darlene Ephraim, corporate director of St. John Health Occupational Health Partners. Occupational Health Partners handles workplace injuries, rehabilitation, employee physicals and drug screenings for about 3,000 client companies. In addition, the department markets wellness programs to companies. Its biggest client is its owner, St. John Health, and its 15,000 employees. The pilot program's success has convinced St. John management to extend the program to more employees, eventually encompassing the entire system. And it provides direct experience data to Occupational Health to use when it tries to sell formal programs to local businesses. Statistics compiled from 13 companies that have comprehensive wellness programs in place for at least three years show that such programs reduce company health care costs an average of $3.72 for each dollar invested. In addition, companies average $5.06 in reduced absenteeism costs for each dollar invested in a wellness program. In the last five years - as companies have cast about for ways to rein in skyrocketing health care costs, more have considered proactive ways to control costs. Wellness programs, which try to identify health risk factors and help workers manage them before they become full-blown -- and more costly -- diseases, are one approach. St. John Occupational Health recently conducted a survey to obtain corporate executives' feelings about wellness programs. The health system revealed the results at last week's Detroit Regional Chamber Mackinac Policy Conference, where concerns about health costs punctuated the three-day event. Among the survey's findings: •76 percent of the respondents agreed it is the responsibility of the employer to promote wellness and health living practices to its employees. •Only 74 percent of the companies have adopted a formal employee wellness program. •45 percent of the respondents with wellness programs indicated they have observed an increase in employee productivity as a result of having a wellness program. •58 percent of respondents from organizations without wellness programs think their company should adopt one. Cost was the most commonly cited barrier to companies launching formal wellness programs, particularly among smaller companies, which are less likely to have them. Ephraim said the St. John pilot model would cost a company about $150 a year per enrolled employee. "Not all companies can go to that extent," she said. "But they can start with a smaller pilot program and see the results. Then maybe grow to a larger program - with more workers and more products - later." Marler expects St. John's investment in him to continue paying off for some time. "My goal is to work full-time at least until I'm 70, then maybe slow down a little. So keeping my health is important."
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