The State of Wellness:

Good Health is

Good Business WebinarFebruary 24, 2011

Eric Aakko, MS MCHES

How did we get here?

Behaviors EnvironmentChronic Disease

Increased Health Care

Costs

Benefits of Worksite Wellness

Health Insurance Premiums

131%

38%

28%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

120%

140%

1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

Health InsurancePremiumsWorkers' Earnings

Overall Inflation

Source: Kaiser/HRET Survey of Employer-Sponsored Health Benefits, 1999-2009. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Consumer Price Index, U.S. City Average of

Annual Inflation (April to April), 1999-2009; Bureau of Labor Statistics, Seasonally Adjusted Data from the Current Employment Statistics Survey, 1999-2009

(April to April).

Background

• We listened and we heard from employers: need the “how” for wellness

• We know the “why”

• Still exploring the “what”

Shift to “systems thinking” and the creation of a Wellness Framework

Colorado’s Worksite Wellness Framework

Build a Foundation of Wellness

Assess How to Have

a Data Driven

Program

Purposeful Planning

and Programming

Meaningful Measurement

and Evaluation

Implement by Putting

the Plan into Action

• Gain senior leadership and employee support

• Create a brand

• Lesson learned: Executive Walks at the Department of Public Health

Step 1: Build a foundation

• Is your workplace supportive or restrictive towards wellness?

• Do you know the basic health needs of your employees?

• Lesson learned: Need for modification to flex policy

Step 2: Use data to assess needs and provide direction

• Develop action plan, goals, objectives

• Use claims data and info from Step 2 in program design

• Incentives can work, if used properly

• Lesson learned: Incentivizing health premiums

Step 3: Plan for success

• How to avoid the STP problem

• Develop physical activity, nutrition, lactation, tobacco policies

• Lesson learned: Change the environment through policy

Step 4: Put the plan in action

• Basic to advanced evaluation

• Bottom line: are you making a difference?

• Lesson learned: Changing the environment does work, e.g. Stair Challenge

Step 5: Evaluate

• Engage all employees and leadership

• Be consistent and professional

• Lesson learned: Creating a brand that has appeal and is recognized

Communication and Marketing: Permeates all Steps 1-5

• Desire to unite worksite wellness activities and efforts in Colorado

• Collaborate with non-profit partner, LiveWell Colorado, on the development of a Worksite Wellness Leadership Council

Other Efforts in Colorado: Worksite Wellness Collaborative

Thank-you - Questions?

Eric Aakko – 303.692-2606; eric.aakko@state.co.us

http://cohealthsource.org/media/172683/worksitewellnesstoolkit%20final.pdf