Benefitfocus(R) Introduces Personal Health Assessment Tool for Employers
October 7, 2008
Employers empowered to efficiently and effectively promote wellness for their employees
CHARLESTON, SC – October 6, 2008 – Benefitfocus(R) today announced the addition of a Personal Health Assessment (PHA) tool, a feature of Benefitfocus HR InTouch(TM), which allows employees to take a secure, online survey and immediately receive personalized recommendations for improving their health. Fully integrated with Benefitfocus eEnrollment(TM), the PHA offers up-to-date counsel on health and wellness topics delivered through text and high-quality, professionally-produced video.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that between 70 and 80 percent of a person’s health and wellness are directly affected by their lifestyle and health behaviors. Composed of two parts, an online questionnaire and a biometric screening, the PHA provides employees with the knowledge of their specific health risks and the tools in which to minimize those risks, positively changing their lifestyle and behaviors.
Finding ways to research the specific health concerns you could be at risk for, and then trying to understand those risks is difficult enough, said Nancy Sansom, vice president of Product Management for Benefitfocus. Our PHA simplifies this process. Not only is the PHA broken into specific categories making it easy to navigate, it is a relatively quick process, taking less than 15 minutes to complete. Also included are informative videos, which provide employees with an easy-to-understand health education resource that explains specific conditions for which they may be at risk.
Upon completion of the PHA, employees receive a Health Profile Report. The report, which can be printed or submitted to a healthcare provider, records the employee’s questionnaire answers and recommends what they should be striving for to reach maximum health and wellness. Employers also receive summary reports, but not in quite as much detail. Various aggregate employer reports provide employers with high-level overviews of what risks their employees are facing. For example, employers are able to obtain the percentage of employees who are at high-risk for obesity or alcohol abuse and can then promote company-wide weight loss or alcohol prevention programs.
Although not a substitute for medical advice, the PHA encourages employees to use the information and customized reports as a personal wellness tool, therefore answering seriously and honestly. With video content developed by Dr. Mona Khanna, M.D., M.P.H., consulting physician for Benefitfocus Media(TM), the tailored medical information and recommendations are medically and evidence-based and include information gathered from the CDC.
Not only is this a great function for employees, but employers are benefiting as well. The application gives employers the ability to offer financial incentives for those employees who complete the health assessment or for meeting specific health-related criteria. These financial incentives can be deducted for each employee through an employer’s payroll system using Benefitfocus Payroll Connect(TM) which synchronizes payroll with your employee benefits data transmissions.
Employers can lower their cost of benefits while their informed and educated employees improve their physical wellness, reflected Sansom. This type of company supported program will positively impact individuals as they become more productive for their employers and lead healthier lives.
For more information on Benefitfocus HR InTouch, please visit http://www.benefitfocus.com/products/InTouch/hrintouch.html and for more information on the Benefitfocus Personal Health Assessment, visit http://www.benefitfocus.com/products/InTouch/pha.html.
About Benefitfocus
Benefitfocus is the largest healthcare benefits software provider serving 267,665 employers, 410 insurance carriers, and 42 million consumers. Our technology solutions reduce costs, expand market share, manage risk and improve consumer satisfaction. Benefitfocus gives a competitive edge to carriers, employers and brokers as they help consumers manage complex decisions in an ever-changing healthcare environment. Benefitfocus can be reached at 843-849-7476 or at http://www.benefitfocus.com/.
