 | The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
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| The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
Bernard J Healey, PhD1, Fevzi Akinci, PhD, Marc Marchese, PhD3, and Thomas K Ross, PhD1. (1) Department of Health Care Administration, King's College, McGowan School of Business, 133 N River Street, Wilkes Barre, PA 18702, 570 208 5900, bjhealey@kings.edu, (2) Human Resources Management, King's College, 133 N River Street, Wilkes Barre, PA 18711
The Role of Health Care Administration Programs in Employer Wellness Programs
It is becoming very clear that the real cause of the majority of morbidity and mortality in this country is not communicable or chronic diseases, but rather unhealthy behaviors that could have been prevented. According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (1995), over fifty-five percent of health care costs are a result of lifestyles associated high-risk health behaviors.
The graduate program in health care administration at King’s College in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania combines a health care management curriculum with public health courses and the development of community prevention programs. This program was contacted by a local corporation with eight hundred and fifty employees to help the company in the reduction of employee health care costs because the cost of providing health insurance to employees had risen dramatically over the previous year. The employer was interested in reducing high-risk health behaviors practiced by its employees and therefore decreasing health insurance costs and increasing employee productivity.
A health survey was developed and administered to all employees in January 2003 to assess their perceptions about the health insurance plan offered by the company. It was also used to identify chronic diseases present in employees and to determine which high-risk behaviors they practice. When the survey results are analyzed the results will be used to develop an internet based site that would include a chronic disease educational programs. to educate their employees about high-risk health behaviors associated with these diseases.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Employer-Provided Health Insurance, Health Behavior
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.