The Situation
A county government in Georgia that serves a strong agricultural and recreational community approached Corporate Health Partners. With a fully funded health plan under a Georgia state government association, they were seeking a strategic, proactive solution to confront the lifestyle behaviors behind the group’s poor employee health, which was continually driving medical claims.
With 176 eligible employees, the workforce was 51% female and 49% male at an average age of 49 years old.
The Work
The county signed up for Corporate Health Partners’ comprehensive and systematic Prima workplace wellness program in July for the Administration, Courthouse, EMS, Sheriff, Public Works, and Animal Services departments. Corporate Health Partners provided the county with overall program management and was regularly on-site four days per month, making visits to three worksites for six departments. The team conducted year-round health promotions including biometric screenings (partnering with a local hospital for phlebotomy), lunch and learn Healthy Breaks, team challenges, health coaching, awareness classes, wellness team oversight, and more.
With one program manager and two wellness coaches locally dedicated to the account, the coaches had 15-minute face-to-face meetings with employees on a frequency determined by their risk levels:
- High Risk: monthly
- Moderate Risk: bi-monthly
- Low Risk: annually
These health coaching sessions averaged 680 completed sessions per year. Throughout the process, the County Manager, Fire and Life Safety, Sheriff’s and Admin Offices, Courthouse, and employee health and wellness team proactively and visibly supported the Prima workplace wellness program.
The Results of the Prima Workplace Wellness Program on Employee Health
Q&A with the County Manager
What was the problem you were having before you discovered Corporate Health Partners?
Years of double-digit increases in medical costs and declining health were frustrating elected officials, employees, and citizens alike. Reducing benefits and cost-shifting the increases to employees each year was not sustainable.
What did the frustration feel like as you tried to solve the problem?
It was extremely frustrating to see millions of dollars spent year in and year out on a problem no one wanted to solve. The Board of Commissioners decided something had to change.
What was different about the Corporate Health Partners program?
The face-to-face coaching was a game-changer for our county. The bond between employees and the health coach established a high level of trust and caring that the employees needed to get on and stay on the path to wellness.
Take us to the moment when you realized the Prima workplace wellness program was actually working to solve your problem?
The first year when our insurance renewal premium increase was only .01%. Reports were showing high and moderate-risk employees getting healthier. Anecdotally, we saw more employees in our on-site gym and enjoying themselves. We heard staff talking about eating better and showed support of making healthy choices. The following year, our broker notified us that we were receiving a 4.11% decrease in our medical renewal.
Tell us what life looks like now that your problem is solved or being addressed?
The employees are actively engaged and not only taking more individual responsibility for their own health and wellness. The entire staff is interested and supportive of their coworker’s well-being too.
Testimonial
County Manager
It is exciting to see positive lifestyle changes in our employees. The employees understand and appreciate the county’s interest in their well-being. We appreciate our broker agency and Corporate Health Partners promoting health and wellness. Our county’s employees are committed to healthy living by adding years to their life. And life to their years! I would encourage everyone to begin the health and wellness journey with our broker and CHP.
- Paul
Prima Workplace Wellness Program Employee Health Results by the Numbers
Engaged and Happy
- 87% participation
- 90% participant satisfaction
- $100 per month incentive
Healthier Each Year
- 25% reduction in % with diabetic values
- 43% reduction in % with pre-diabetic values
- 14.3% reduction in tobacco users
- 83.90% reduction in high blood pressure values
- 18.4% decrease off-trend for % high-risk
- 94.8% improvement in low-risk category