Partners in health: what can health-care providers and consultants do to keep you and your employees healthy?

• Author: McKimmie, Kathy
• Position: Executive Health & Fitness

YEAR AFTER YEAR nationwide surveys reveal Indiana's penchant for smoking and overeating, placing us at the bottom of the list for healthy lifestyles and at the top of the list for unnecessary health-care expenditures. Employers are taking action by calling on their health-care providers to screen for early detection of health problems and provide education on the benefits of eating right and exercise, thereby controlling costs and increasing productivity.

As one of the largest employers in Evansville, St. Mary's Medical Center practices what it preaches to area employers through its own 20-year-old wellness program. Over the years its become more comprehensive, including a fitness center, health-risk assessments, health coaching, weight-loss and disease-management programs.

Recently, St. Mary's began a three-step healthy-living program with two-thirds of its employees participating. It starts with a 35-question online risk-assessment questionnaire asking about such things as family history, eating habits, smoking and seat-belt usage. An overall score and cancer and nutritional risks are tabulated. An incentive, such as a gift certificate, is awarded just for completing the questionnaire. Over a period of four months health screenings are conducted for cholesterol, glucose, blood pressure and weight, then the full picture is presented to the employee and lifestyle changes are discussed.

"Without the risk assessment, you don't get the whole picture," says Cindy Williams, director of health promotion. Unfortunately, she says, most employers still want just the basic health screenings and are not adding the risk-assessment questionnaire, which considers the importance of lifestyle.

The good news is that risk factors in all categories for St. Mary's employees are down, says Williams--except obesity. "It's everywhere because of high stress and people not taking the time to plan. There's a lot of fast food, working two jobs or working long hours." Although St. Mary's has tried such programs as 10,000 Steps and Movin' & Winnin' teams to encourage walking and exercise, it began piloting a four-week program giving tips on how to shop for nutritional foods, and through cooking demonstrations shows how to make quick, easy, good-tasting snacks and meals. Drawings for prizes are incorporated as an incentive to participate.

Its own successes help St. Mary's shape programs for area employers. "We tailor the program to the company," says Williams. "We go in at midnight if we need to." It's starting to do more personal health coaching after assessment results are in, she says. "We do it with a 'health...