According to the Institute of Medicine, nearly half of all adults (about 90 million people) have difficulty understanding and acting on health information. Following that line of reasoning, half of your employees probably do not understand information regarding their healthcare. Furthermore, the Center for Health Care Strategies tells us that if your workforce has a disproportionate number of employees over 60 or who are Hispanic or African-American, your percentage is even higher.
What impact does that have on your healthcare dollars? People who do not have a firm understanding of health information are less likely to comply with prescribed medical treatment and self-care regimens; fail to seek preventive care and are at more than double the risk for hospitalization; remain in the hospital nearly two days longer than adults with higher health literacy; and often require additional care that results in annual health care costs that are four times higher than those with higher literacy skills.
The Partnership for Clear Health Communication reports that people who understand health instructions make fewer mistakes when they take their medicine or prepare for a medical procedure. They may also get well sooner or be better able to manage a chronic health condition.
So, the first step towards a healthier workforce is ensuring that your employees understand what their health status is and how it affects their lives. The Center for the Advancement of Health tells us that there is abundant evidence that when health care professionals talk with their clients about risk reduction and illness management, there is a greater likelihood that those clients change poor health habits, participate in screenings, and take the right medicines the right way.
But anyone who has ever broken a New Year’s Resolution knows that knowledge itself does not change behavior. We provide private, non-threatening, one-on-one counseling sessions with a Registered Nurse to assist your employees in taking ownership of their health and accepting accountability for their actions. There is no stopping an educated, empowered employee from living and working healthier.
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