Are executive physicals important?
While many executives follow a healthy lifestyle, stress of work, travel and long hours can result in an inability to properly exercise, eat the right foods and manage the stress and demands of management (January 2009 issue). Executive physicals can detect potential health problems before they negatively impact the executive and company performance. Executives who undergo physical exams typically have fewer health claims and less lost workdays.
Does prevention really work?
The wisest investment a company can make is not in its equipment, supplies, services and business operations. It is in the health of its employees. According to the California Endowment, healthier lifestyle programs in the state could save $1.7 billion annually. The health cost of a high-risk worker is nearly triple that of a low-risk worker. Costs can be minimal. Meal time walking programs, on-site prevention and screenings and making the price of nutritious foods in your vending machines and cafeterias less than unhealthy offerings contribute to a healthier and happier work force.
How much of a factor is obesity?
Nearly three-fourths of Americans and one of three children are overweight or obese (May 2009 issue). Obesity is a disease with deadly risks and complications. It lowers workplace productivity, causes life-threatening illnesses and results in enormous increases in health costs. An employer can work with local hospitals through classes on reducing calorie intake, desk exercises that become part of workplace routine, a move from unhealthy to nutritious foods in the cafeteria and vending machines, healthy meal preparation lessons, programs that reward those losing weight and lowering blood pressure and other health risks and more.
Where can we turn for help?
Do collaborate with hospitals, physicians and health plans to offer education, health prevention, screenings and immunization programs. MemorialCare’s business outreach program includes health fairs and Web links, on-site and community seminars and executive physicals.
Our Web site, memorialcare.org, offers free online tools, calculator and guides and referrals to physicians that help your work force to reach a healthier life. And our MemorialCare Presidents’ Partnership informs and engages employers large and small on issues all organizations face to seek solutions to address the challenges and costs of health care. Working together, businesses can identify improvements and advocate for better care for the communities we serve.
BARRY ARBUCKLE, Ph.D., is president and CEO of MemorialCare Medical Centers (www.memorialcare.org) and past chair of the California Hospital Association. Reach him at [email protected] or (562) 933-9708. MemorialCare Medical Centers include Saddleback Memorial Medical Center in Laguna Hills, Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, Long Beach Memorial Medical Center, Miller Children’s Hospital in Long Beach and Saddleback Memorial Medical Center in San Clemente.