Driven by healthcare cost increases that are eating into corporate profits, companies that embrace a culture of health across their organization not only improve the health of their employees and benefit from its related impact on productivity, but also improve corporate profitability and shareholder value. During this 90-minute webinar on December 4, 2007, an expert panel of speakers will describe the key steps in creating a culture of health that engages both the C-suite and employees.
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Participants enrolled in consumer-directed health plans (CDHPs) are more engaged in wellness programs and are more likely to plan and save for healthcare expenses than those in traditional healthcare coverage, according to a new survey released by the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association (BCBSA). The BCBSA 2007 CDHP Member Experience Survey found that consumers eligible for health savings accounts (HSAs) were 17 percent more likely to participate in an exercise program than those enrolled in non-CDHP products.
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With Directions: Looking Ahead in Healthcare, you'll get a comprehensive monthly report on directions, forecasts, trends in healthcare -- and, all of the facts and statistics are distilled for you to help point you in the right direction. Stay on the right course as you make your organization's strategic plans to compete and survive in the months and years just ahead.
For more information on, please visit:Kaiser Permanente, an industry leader in providing online health services, recently announced the launch of “My health manager,” a personal health record (PHR) that provides members with critical time-saving features, including online appointment scheduling and prescription refills. In addition, users have 24/7 online access to lab test results, eligibility and benefits information, and even their children's immunization records.
Kaiser Permanent has been offering PHR features to its members since they launched kp.org in 2005. Since this launch, registration and usage rates have steadily increased and over 1.6 million Kaiser Permanente members have signed up on kp.org, making it one of the most actively used PHRs in the world. With the introduction of My health manager, members now have a simplified way of accessing the tools in one place.
To read this story in its entirety, go to:Personal Health Records: Taking the First Step Toward an Electronic Medical Record, an audio conference on CD-ROM, examines case studies of organizations that have implemented electronic personal health records (PHRs), from pilot projects to full roll-outs.
For more information on, please visit:It is possible to demonstrate solid ROI after coaching individuals on the verge of serious health issues, says Ted Borgstadt, Trestletree founder and chairman. And employees themselves can provide valuable data on the effect of coaching on workforce productivity and absenteeism, says Darcy Hurlbert, health and wellness product specialist at Ceridian LifeWorks. These employee assessments can be supplemented with administrative data, and satisfaction surveys administered three months post-enrollment can capture employee and member feedback on the coaching experience.
To listen to this podcast in its entirety, please visit:SAMHSA’s report to Congress entitled Promotion and Prevention in Mental Health: Strengthening Parenting and Enhancing Child Resilience promotes the use of research-based approaches that provide parenting support skills and child resilience – even in the face of adversity. The report emphasizes that these proactive approaches help prevent mental health problems from developing — or can greatly mitigate them if they do occur — especially among children and youth.
The report notes that because half of all diagnosable mental illnesses begin by age 14, and three-fourths by age 24, early detection and early intervention can yield enormous benefits to the individual, the family and society.
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This special report, "Promising Outcomes: The Impact of Positive Psychology on Health and Wellness Coaching," explores evidence-based theories and coaching models, research linking physical and mental health, and critical coaching skills and outcomes that help bring about lasting behavior change. The theories of positive psychology come alive during a 15-minute unscripted coaching demonstration that features Wellcoaches CEO Margaret Moore helping volunteer client Kathy Smith (not her real name) identify life issues that are keeping her from being her "best self" in managing her thyroid condition and weight issues.
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More than eight out of 10 people want long-term care included in the agenda of presidential candidates, according to a poll by Public Opinion Strategies and the Mellman Group. It also showed that nearly 70 percent of respondents have not prepared for the long-term care of their family or themselves. However, half of the polltakers indicated that they have known someone who has needed such care.
To read this story in its entirety, go to:Health Management Career Center Update is a free bi-monthly email newsletter for healthcare management professionals seeking new career opportunities and healthcare organizations that are seeking to fill health management positions within their companies.
Healthcare Buyer's Connection is a bi-monthly email newsletter for buyers and sellers of healthcare products and services. It highlights news on trends in healthcare purchasing and marketing and recommends reading for keeping up-to-date on e-commerce.
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Besides its hot-button status in the 2008 presidential election, what other issues will shape the healthcare industry in the coming year? Perennial cost drivers remain, but growing technology dictums, prevalence of quality- and performance-based reimbursement models, evolving physician-hospital and physician-patient dynamics and increased ROI expectations for wellness and health coaching are forcing hospitals, health plans and providers to recast business and care delivery processes. In this special report, four key thought leaders deliver a sector-by-sector analysis of emerging trends and their impacts and debate the direction of the industry.
For more information, please visit:An Illinois state program designed to fight heart disease and aid uninsured women in living healthy lifestyles, has received national recognition. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) selected WISEWOMAN (Well-Integrated Screening and Evaluation for Women Across the Nation) as one of six women’s health curriculums it will offer to states, tribes and territories across the country looking to improve women’s health. Eligible program participants must be uninsured women between the ages of 40 and 64 at or below 250 percent of the federal poverty level.
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Women’s Health: Disease Management Strategies & Programs contains valuable programs, strategies, decision-making tools, and case studies of women’s health disease management programs.
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According to statistics by the Family Caregiver Alliance, approximately 52 million informal and family caregivers provide care to an adult that is ill or disabled in the United States. The majority of caregivers are 35 to 64 years old, and an estimated 60 percent are also working outside the home. A proactive approach to this growing dilemma through caregiver education and support programs allows employers to provide an invaluable benefit, while increasing employee loyalty and productivity.
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