Prevention Matters

A column in BizTimes.com says worksite wellness programs "are showing a significant return on investment among companies across the U.S." Well City Milwaukee's Janet McMahon specifically cites the following programs:

• Johnson & Johnson's Healthy People program, which saves an estimated $9 to $10 million per year from reduced medical utilization and lower administrative expenses.
• Citibank's comprehensive health management program, which demonstrates for every dollar invested in programming activities, $4.56 to $4.73 was saved in reduced health care costs.
• Union Pacific Railroad's medical self-care program, which shows a cost savings of $2.78 for every dollar invested by reducing inappropriate emergency room and outpatient visits.
• Robert W. Baird & Co. Inc. in Millwauke, which launched its wellness program in 2006. In the past three years, Baird's health care cost trend has decreased from 13 percent per year to 7 percent per year, and it is expected to be lower in 2010 as well. In addition, preventable health risks, which are closely associated with health care costs, have decreased for Baird employees.

Three companies that are members of Partnership for Prevention’s "Leading by Example" initiative were among the businesses honored at a White House ceremony for their commitment to aggressive workplace health programs.

Johnson & Johnson CEO William Weldon, Safeway CEO Steve Burd and Pitney Bowes CEO Murray Martin were among a handful of executives praised by President Obama for reining in skyrocketing health care costs through programs designed to make their workforces healthier.

Obama saluted the firms for encouraging their employees to exercise, lose weight and quit smoking—and for offering innovations such as physician house calls aimed at keeping patients out of the emergency room. “All this [is] designed to save taxpayers money, save businesses money and ultimately make the American people healthier and happier [and] make sure we’re getting a bigger bang for our health care dollars,” the president said.

Through the Leading by Example initiative, CEOs who have incorporated new, successful approaches to employee health and productivity share their experiences and knowledge with other CEOs.

The Partnership for Prevention website has more information on programs and initiativces at the three employers.

Pharmaceutical company Johnson & Johnson has decided to drop plans to start a separate wellness and disease-prevention unit, the company's chief financial officer told the Wall Street Journal in an interview.