EVOLVE Business and Professional Magazine August 2020 | Page 30

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.
| 24 | EVOLVE BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL MAGAZINE