Wellness Programs.
The name says it all, and it's one of the primary objectives in today's world of business.
After all, healthy employees means healthier bottom lines.
With us today, Henry Dubois, President and CEO of Hooper Holmes.
A company specializing in biometric screening and corporate wellness solutions, helping
businesses improve the health and wellness of employees and their families from coast
to coast.
Also joining me this morning, Dr. Neil Gordon, Medical Director for Hooper Holmes and author
of over 100 published scientific manuscripts and eight books on the topic of wellness.
Good morning, gentlemen.
Good morning.
Morning, Olga.
Thank you so much for being here.
Now, before we get started I do want our viewers to know, Doctor, that you performed on me
a biometric screening.
It was very easy.
It lasted maybe five minutes.
Well, you were an excellent participant.
Thank you so much.
I was the guinea pig this morning.
I even have my little band-aid to show for it.
But, Henry, as much as I learned while you were doing this screening on me, tell our
viewers why this screening is so important and what exactly it is.
A biometric screening event, Olga, is a place where an employee participant is able to participate,
and where one of our health professionals come out and are able to take the biometric
screening - some basic measurements: some height, weight, blood pressure, as well as
a blood draw to get some basic chemistry.
Really important for not only the employee but the employer to know, right?
Exactly.
Because by the employer having this program in place, they're able to understand the overall
health and wellness of their employee population, which is important for them.
A healthy workforce is a productive workforce.
And, Doctor, when employees come in, they actually may be surprised to learn some of
their result, and in minutes could have a little advisory that something's wrong.
That's correct.
You know, the fact is that somebody dies from cardiovascular disease about every 40 seconds
in this country, and that's tragic because many heart attacks and strokes are potentially
preventable.
The first step is to know your numbers, and during the screening each individual learns
their risk factors for cardiovascular disease and other preventible conditions.
It can save lives.
And with my screening I know, Doctor, you got my height, my weight, blood pressure,
you know, very easy things to do.
Henry, are companies doing more and more of this, or are they falling short?
Well, many companies do this, but not as much as they should.
What you've got is enlarged companies, about 90% to 95% of large companies - that's companies
with over 10,000 employees, may have a wellness program.
Not all of them may undertake a screening, and even there, only about 50% who are eligible
undertake it.
On smaller and mid-size companies, though, you only have about a 50% penetration rate.
Only about 50% of the companies have a wellness program because for one reason or another.
That's something that we at Hooper Holmes are really trying to focus on is how do we
bring this to smaller mid-sized companies.
Doctor, something else that you screened on me was my cholesterol, glucose, and again,
minor numbers that one really needs to know because of the fact that some health conditions
relating to that are really manageable.
That's 100% correct.
The first step, as we've mentioned, is to know your numbers.
The next step is to aggressively manage your numbers and your risk factors through a combination
of comprehensive lifestyle changes and, if needed, medications.
The key lifestyle interventions include regular exercise, correct nutrition, weight management,
stress management, and tobacco cessation.
Fortunately, there are also safe and effective medications, for example, to control blood
pressure, cholesterol, and diabetes.
Now, Henry, some people may say "I don't want to do this."
Some misconceptions.
What are some of those that really aren't true?
Well, exactly.
When we come to the employer site, it's usually during office hours.
It's something that people are able to participate in very easily.
The other one is the privacy of the information.
We don't share that information with others even when it goes back to the employer.
It only goes back on an aggregated basis for the overall employee population base.
And they are so private, they didn't want me to share anything with our viewers.
But, I am giving them permission to give my results.
Can I see them, doctor?
Tell me, oh my gosh, am I going to live a little longer?
Overall, you did very well.
I took all of your numbers and incorporated into one score that tells us about your risk
for cardiovascular disease, and your risk is very low.
The main reason for that is that your HDL cholesterol, or healthy cholesterol, is high
and we like it high because it helps clear cholesterol out of your arteries.
Your triglyceride values were very good, and when it comes to diabetes, your blood sugar
was at a very good level.
You don't have pre-diabetes.
The only value that was elevated was your blood pressure, in particular, your diastolic
pressure was a little bit higher than we'd like it.
That's something you should follow up with your doctor about.
Okay.
My waist was...well, we won't share that.
It was excellent.
Yeah, it was 26.
I can live with that.
Henry, your company really strives to do this.
It's really important.
Many things set you apart from others.
Well, we look at it as making sure that the participant has a great experience.
It's all about, as we call it, the five R's.
Making sure that we get the right people, the right health professionals, the right
location - making it convenient for the employer, with the right equipment, at the right time,
so that we get the right data to provide the right information back.
So we're really able to make it about the participant and enjoy the experience.
And such a small screening really gave me peace-of-mind this morning.
Correct.
And for viewers who would like more information, Henry, where would they go?
The best place would be to visit us at our website.
It's hooperholmes.com.
And it's really an easy screening, and it gave me a lot of peace-of-mind this morning.
Doctor, thank you so much.
And, thank you for not sharing my weight.
What was it again?
Okay, we're good.
Thank you very much gentlemen.
And, of course, you can visit us at TheBalancingAct.com or share anything related to your healthcare
concerns with us.
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