Absenteeism

Habitual pattern of absence or failure to appear, especially for work or other regular duty or obligation

Absenteeism Policy

A definite course of action concerning absenteeism adopted for the sake of expediency and facility.

Additionally, many employers have implemented absence policies which make no distinction between absences for genuine illness and absence for inappropriate reasons. One of these policies is the calculation of the Bradford factor, which only takes the total number and frequency of absences into account, not the kind of absence. As a result, many employees feel obliged to come to work while ill, and transmit communicable diseases to their co-workers. This leads to even greater absenteeism and reduced productivity among other workers who try to work while ill. Work forces often do excuse absenteeism caused by medical reasons if the worker supplies a doctor's note or other form of documentation. Sometimes, however, in the workforce, people choose not to show up for work and do not call in advance, which most businesses find to be unprofessional and inconsiderate. This is called a no call, no show (Wikipedia).

Brown Bag Lunches

A term for short, informational sessions presented by experts or health/wellness professionals usually offered at no cost and during the lunch hour.  Participants usually bring and eat their own lunches.

Consumer Driven Health Care (CDHC)

Defined narrowly, consumer driven health care (CDHC) refers to health insurance plans that allow members to use personal Health Savings Accounts (HSAs), Health Reimbursement Arrangements (HRAs) or similar medical payment products to pay routine health care expenses directly, while a high-deductible health insurance policy protects them from catastrophic medical expenses.  High-deductible policies cost less per month than low-deductible policies, but the user needs to pay more upfront for medical procedures. 

This system of health care is referred to as “consumer directed health care” because proponents believe it gives patients greater control over their health.  According to economist John C. Goodman, “In the consumer-driven model, consumers occupy the primary decision-making role regarding the health care they receive.”  Good man points to a McKinsey study which found that CDHC patients were twice as likely as patients in traditional plans to ask about cost and three times as likely to choose a less expensive treatment option, and chronic patients were 20% more likely to follow treatments regimes carefully (Wikipedia).

Community Health/Wellness Services: Intervention a)

A health related or lifestyle service/program provided in a community by an organization or group.  For example, tobacco cessation, Weight Watchers, 12 step programs, health fairs, lecture/event at college/university, diabetes education (or other) classes at local hospital or health care clinic, etc.

Disease (Case) Management

A system of coordinated health care interventions and communications for populations with conditions in which patient self-care efforts are significant; usually those with high or the potential of high medical claims.  The Case Manager supports the physician or practitioner/patient relationship and plan of care; emphasizes prevention of exacerbations and complications utilizing evidence-based practice guidelines and patient empowerment strategies; and evaluates clinical, humanistic, and economic outcomes on an on-going basis with the goal of improving overall health.

Economic Impact Report

A report that uses data from actual medical claims and/or risk factors identified in Health Risk Appraisals to measure employee productivity and/or return on investment.  The report should show the economic impact of the Health Promotion program on the organization; in other words, demonstrate the dollars spent on prevention strategies, compared with the potential dollars avoided spending on direct health care.

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

An organized mental health program or service offered by employers to employees and/or families.  They are usually brief, face-to-face, interventions facilitated by professional counselors.  Typical problems include alcohol/drug abuse, divorce recovery, work-related conflicts, financial difficulties, and parenting.

Employee Interest/Needs Assessment

Surveys distributed to certain population groups to ascertain their interest in attending or participating in specific activities.  These tools are often used by Health Promotion practitioners to determine appropriate intervention strategies.

Ergonomics

The discipline concerned with the understanding of interactions between humans and other elements of a system, and the profession that applies theory, principles, data, and methods to design in order to optimize human well-being and overall system performance. Ergonomists contribute to the design and evaluation of tasks, jobs, products, environments and systems in order to make them compatible with the needs, abilities and limitations of people.

Fitness Campaign

An organized effort that challenges individuals or teams to meet certain criteria that usually is short-lived and well-defined.  Programs can encourage any variety of activity, but typically they involve walking or running for certain distances or lengths of time.

Flexible Spending Arrangement (FSA) or Flexible Spending Account

A tax-advantaged financial account that can be set up through a cafeteria plan of an employer.  An FSA allows an employee to set aside a portion of his or her earnings to pay for qualified expenses as established in the cafeteria plan, most commonly for medical expenses but often for dependent care or other expenses. Money deducted from an employee's pay into an FSA is not subject to payroll taxes, resulting in a substantial payroll tax savings.

Two most common types of FSAs are the medical expense FSA and the dependent care FSA.  The medical expense FSA is similar to a health savings account (HSA) or a health reimbursement account (HRA). However, while HSAs and HRAs are almost exclusively used as components of a consumer driven health care plan, medical FSAs are commonly offered with more traditional health plans as well.  The funds of an FSA are considered “use it or lose it” from plan year/coverage period of a health plan and FSA funds are “employer owned” rather than employee/consumer owned like the HSA.  An FSA may be utilized by paper claims or an FSA debit card also known as a Flexcard (Wikipedia).

Health Coaching

The evidence-based practice of providing employees with personalized, one-on-one support to help them permanently change risky behaviors.  Coaches empower participants with a sense of personal responsibility and self-sufficiency; they help clients overcome obstacles and develop a personal wellness vision. When participants are given the opportunity to tap into their own resources, needs and goals, they create results that are important to them and more readily strive toward healthier behaviors. The end result is improved lifestyle for them and reduced healthcare costs for their employers.  The confidential sessions are typically brief telephonic interactions over a prescribed period of time. Health coaches often have a background in a health/wellness-related field, but more importantly are trained in specific coaching skills designed to elicit best thinking from their clients.

High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP)

A health insurance plan with lower premiums and higher deductibles than a traditional health plan. It is sometimes referred to as a catastrophic health insurance plan.

A HDHP is necessary in order to open a HSA (health savings account).  A HDHP is an inexpensive health insurance plan that generally doesn’t pay for the first thousand dollars ($1,100-2,200) of health care expenses (i.e., your “deductible”) but will generally covers after the “high” deductible is met. Of course, a HSA is available to help pay for the expenses the plan does not cover.

The deductible forces the insurance holder/consumer to pay the first portion of a medical expense before the insurance coverage kicks in. The minimum deductible for a plan to fall into the category of an HDHP varies each year.  The rates for 2007 and 2008 are $1,100 for individuals and $2,200 for families.

Health Education

The process by which individuals or groups of people learn to behave in a manner conducive to the promotion, maintenance, or restoration of health.  The ultimate aim of health education is positive behavioral modification.

Health Fair

An open house designed to provide specific populations with health/wellness information and/or services.  The main focus is usually to provide educational materials and/or deliver specific Health Screenings.

Health Promotion

The science and art of helping people change their lifestyle to move toward optimal health. Optimal health/wellness is holistic and defined as a balance of physical, emotional, social, spiritual, and intellectual health. Lifestyle change can be facilitated through a combination of efforts to enhance awareness, change behavior and create environments that support good health practices. Synonymous with “Worksite Wellness.”

Health Risk Appraisal (HRA)

or Health Risk Assessment

A class of paper and pencil instruments, or web-based surveys that assess an individual’s relative risk of disease, injury or death based on specific lifestyle behaviors and biometric factors (e.g., blood pressure; cholesterol; height and weight).  The computer generates confidential reports for individuals, and group aggregate summaries or corporate reports for Health Promotion practitioners.  They often provide a total health score, and an individual’s chronological age compared with a current and achievable health age. They are considered the gold-standard tool within the Wellness industry to assess individual and group lifestyle-related risk factors to enable the design and delivery of appropriate and targeted interventions.

Health Savings Account (HSA)

The newest form of tax advantaged benefit savings vehicle that allows any adult who is covered by a high-deductible health plan (and has no other first-dollar coverage) to establish an HSA (health savings account). 

To encourage saving for health expenses after retirement, individuals age 55 and older are allowed to make additional catch-up contributions to their HSAs. Once an individual enrolls in Medicare they are no longer eligible to contribute to their HSA.

Amounts contributed to an HSA belong to the account holder and are completely portable. Funds in the account can grow tax-free through investment earnings, just like an IRA.

Funds distributed from the HSA are not taxed if they are used to pay qualified medical expenses. Unlike amounts in Flexible Spending Arrangements (FSA) that are forfeited if not used by the end of the year, unused funds remain available for use in later years.

The funds contributed to the account are not subject to federal income tax at the time of deposit. Withdrawals for non-medical expenses are treated very similarly to those in an IRA account in that they may provide tax advantages if taken after retirement age, and they incur penalties if taken earlier. (US Dept of the Treasury).

Health Screenings

Tests or procedures designed to identify persons who would not otherwise be identified.  They include many specific laboratory tests, body scans, or procedures that are usually priced to accommodate large volumes of people.  Health screens often identify individuals who may need more comprehensive diagnostic testing.  Examples of screens include blood tests for cholesterol and glucose, blood pressure checks, bone density scans, hearing tests, height and weight, etc.  It is recommended to screen employees at least one time a year. 

High Risk

An individual whose single or combination of lifestyle habits and health risks exceeds the average health risk of someone the same age and sex. The focus in Health Promotion is to identify these people early and help them avoid the probability of disease, injury or death.  Examples of risky lifestyle habits include not exercising, poor diet, smoking, obesity, stress, or having lifestyle-related conditions like high blood pressure, high cholesterol or diabetes.

Incentive Program

An anticipated positive reward designed to influence the behavior and/or performance of individuals or groups.  Health Promotion or Worksite Wellness incentives typically include cash or savings/ rewards imbedded within the insurance design. A well-designed incentive can dramatically increase program participation.

Management Policies

The managing, handling, direction, or control of documents embodying a contract of insurance.  Using policies allows entities to adapt to increasingly complex requirements without the need for substantial changes to their structure or implementation.

Medical Claims Data

A complete record of all medical claims within a certain population.  This data can be stratified according to specific parameters, such as by disease-state, most costly, age, sex, etc.

Medical Self-Care

Any combination of learning activities (books or Internet) designed to facilitate the personal diagnosis, treatment and cure of illness.  Materials help individuals make appropriate decisions concerning home treatment or when to seek medical attention.  It’s a valuable tool to help avoid unnecessary emergency room or doctor visits.

Metabolic Syndrome

A cluster of specific cardiovascular disease risk factors whose underlying cause is thought to be related to insulin resistance; sometimes referred to as pre-diabetes. People with 3 out of the 5 following risk factors are diagnosed:  Waist Circumference (men = 40+ inches, women = 35+ inches), Triglycerides (150mg/dl), HDL (men = less than 40 mg/dl, women = less than 50 mg/dl), Blood Pressure (130/85 or higher), Fasting Glucose (100 mg/dl or higher).

Nurse Line

An employer-sponsored telephone consultation with a nurse that is offered to employees and their family members.  Typical services include a confidential health consultation, information on immunization requirements and needs, education about communicable diseases and prevention, and information on health department programs and community resources.

Nutrition Campaign

An organized effort that is usually short-lived and well-defined.  Programs may include information/education, focus on healthy potlucks or vending machines, or any other nutritionally-related effort.

Onsite Childcare Facility

The provision of childcare facilities to employees which can potentially counterbalance employee absenteeism, turnover and overtime, while also achieving significant reduction in costs.  In order to see these beneficial results, extensive front line research about the appropriateness of such a facility at your site as well as the anticipated use of the facility are needed.  It’s also appropriate to survey the hours and services employees would need in an onsite childcare facility.

Paycheck Stuffer

An official announcement or advertisement placed in an employee’s paycheck envelope.

Participant Evaluation

An assessment of an activity or product that is completed by the person who participated with the activity or product.  The goal of such an appraisal is to determine the effectiveness and usefulness of the activity/product.  Such an assessment can be complex or simple.

Presenteeism

The practice of being present at one's work even if too sick to be productive, or beyond the expected hours; also the opposite of absenteeism.  Presenteeism discusses the problems faced when employees come to work in spite of illness, which can have similar negative repercussions on business performance (as absenteeism). 

It can also refer to the expectation of employers for their employees to be present at work regardless of whether any work is available or accomplished (Wikipedia).

Productivity Management

Defined by the Institute for Health and Productivity Management as “the integrated management of data and services related to all aspects of employee health that affect work performance, including measuring the impact of targeted interventions on both health and productivity.” 

Prevention/Wellness Benefits [Awards-Intervention 6M]

Benefits consisting of wellness programs and employee assistance programs which are generally a matter of agreement between 0an employer and employee (or the employee’s representative) within the health insurance plan.

Readiness for Change

The “Transtheoretical Model of Behavior Change” was developed by James Prochaska and Louis DiClemente.  The model reflects an individual’s readiness to change behavior in five stages: pre-contemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, and maintenance.  The theory espouses that a person will change behavior based on his/her readiness for change, not just on the information presented.  Health Promotion practitioners can target educational materials based on a person’s readiness for change, which is usually identified in a Health Risk Appraisal (HRA).

Referrals to Physician

Systematic process when a health risk is detected for an individual that is screened by any service provided within the health insurance plan or by the employer (i.e. health screening) to be referred to an appropriate health care practitioner.  This practice as well as a follow-up with the individual is strongly encouraged to increase compliance with medications and treatment.

Walking Club

Organized individuals who agree to walk at certain places and at certain times in a group.  They may require certain parameters to be a member of the club (e.g., all women, all men, a certain age).

Wellness Champion or

on-site Wellness Champion

Individual in charge of coordinating the health and wellness activities alongside the wellness committee.  This person often acts as the wellness catalyst or wellness coordinator for the site or organization.   As programs mature, it is strongly encouraged that this is a full-time paid position or contracted with a vendor.

Wellness Committee

A group of persons elected or appointed to investigate, report on, or act upon a particular matter concerning the health and wellness of an organization.  This may include review of the health insurance plan(s), wellness benefits, preventive services, organizational policies (such as tobacco free workplace) and to advise the wellness champion/coordinator on them implementation of any programming.  Committee members often act as internal champions.

Wellness Culture

A collection of healthy or wellness-related ideas, customs, beliefs, norms, values, peer support, or policies that guide thoughts and behaviors within a specific organization.  A “wellness culture” is believed to be one of the keys to successful wellness programming.

Worksite Health Promotion (WHP)

A setting, influenced by organizational, cultural, and environmental factors intended to assist employees and their family members in making voluntary behavior changes that reduce health risks and enhance their individual productivity while contributing to the maximum enhancement of their physical, mental, and spiritual health.

Workplace Safety Program

Intended to raise awareness of behaviors and areas which can create hazardous safety concerns.  Workplace Safety Programs are intended to help employers prevent accidents and diseases, while also preventing safety and health problems before they happen.

Worksite Wellness

An organized program intended to assist employees/retirees and families in making voluntary behavior changes that reduce health risks and enhance their individual productivity.  Synonymous with “Health Promotion.”