DATA ANALYTICS LEAD THE WAY TO BETTER EMPLOYEE HEALTH
by Robert Chamberlain Chairman and CEO , Applied Health Analytics
COVID-19 has put a tremendous amount of pressure on the healthcare industry and has placed an immediate emphasis on employee health . The pandemic has taught us important lessons about how we can better address health concerns before the presence of a crisis , namely in handling chronic and underlying conditions .
We quickly learned with COVID-19 that those with chronic conditions are not only more vulnerable to contracting the virus , they also are at higher-risk of suffering severe complications . It is evident that we need to better identify and treat those with chronic conditions . And , as a significant number of the population suffers from chronic and underlying conditions , it ’ s a group that requires immediate attention . Data from the Kaiser Family Foundation 1 has shown approximately 29.2 million adults in the U . S . between the ages of 18-59 have an underlying medical condition such as heart disease , COPD , obesity or diabetes .
Below are high-priority steps following the trend of using data to improve employee health and reduce hospitalizations .
The first step in addressing chronic conditions is through early detection . If conditions can be caught in the early stages , there is a better opportunity to begin treatment before the individual progresses to the high-risk category . Health data is key in early detection and is best collected by utilizing two methods :
1 . Biometric Screenings : Biometric data includes blood draw results , blood pressure readings and height / weight measurements . The results of these readings can help determine conditions such as diabetes , hypertension and obesity ; all factors that put an individual in a high-risk category .
2 . Health Risk Assessments ( HRAs ): HRAs can help uncover information about a person ’ s lifestyle that may not be present in a biometric screening . This may include poor dietary choices , a lack of exercise or smoking .
When biometric and HRA data are combined , it provides a more precise picture of an individual ’ s overall health . Because most people receive their health benefits through their employer , it ’ s the optimal starting point . By implementing health strategies at the employer level , there is more opportunity to detect and address medical issues before they become a bigger issue .
Now the data must be communicated and acted upon . The data collected from biometric screening and HRAs should be provided to employees through a personalized health portal that defines strategies for health improvement . These strategies may include :
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