A chronic disease (such as high blood pressure, diabetes) is one that can be modified by behaviour. But behaviour modification isn’t easy.
According to Green Shield Canada’s 2013/14 Age Band Study, results from respondents in their 20s through to their 60s showed that the use of drugs for chronic disease was not only prevalent in every age group but also increased.
“Pain medications are associated with every chronic condition,” said Peter Gove, innovation leader, health management, with Green Shield Canada, speaking at the Canadian Pension & Benefits Institute’s 2015 Benefits Outlook: Managing Chronic Disease in Toronto yesterday.
The study showed that by the time employees hit their 40s, you’re seeing more of the chronic diseases that can be modified by behaviour, he continued. “And in their 50s, seven of the top 10 drug categories are for helping chronic conditions; by their 60s, it’s nothing but chronic illness.”
Read: Chronic pain costs employers
How can employers manage this?
According to Gove, employers need to be looking at the employees in their 20s, where you’re seeing the initial developments of these chronic diseases.
And this really falls in the employer’s camp because Canada’s healthcare system doesn’t focus on chronic disease.
“Thirty to 40 years ago when the Health Canada Act was introduced, managing chronic disease was not a priority,” said Tim Clarke, chief innovation officer at Aon Hewitt. “It was meant to deal with acute incidents, for example a broken leg or a heart attack, so a lot depends on the employer in terms of managing chronic disease.”
It’s changing, Clarke continued, but it’s not changing as fast as we’d like.
Gove pointed to a Sanofi study that asked plan sponsors what they want out of their benefits plans. Fifty-seven percent said they want to keep employees healthy and productive, 45% want to reduce absenteeism and disability claims, and 27% want coverage for treatments of chronic conditions.
In reality, Gove said plans focus on the transactions (i.e., getting claims paid quickly) and cost control, and they’re not focused on changing employee behaviours.
But some plan sponsors are taking action.
Sleep Country Canada
Sleep Country Canada’s top five conditions are blood pressure, cholesterol issues, depression, diabetes and gastrointestinal, said Heather Ricketts, national manager of employee and labour relations. “And the health costs per [employee] have not been decreasing over the past five years.”
It implemented a Biggest Loser program; the winner had to have a combined minimum loss of 10% body weight and 18 pounds. The grand prize was a trip for two to the Caribbean.
There were 135 participants (abut 11% of the workforce), and they lost a total of 3.34% of body weight and almost 900 pounds.
Ricketts noted that while the participants made positive changes (e.g., making healthy choices), this effect trickled down to their families, too.
Read: Strategies for supporting employees with chronic pain
Unilever
Unilever wanted to help its employee take action to improve their health (both physical and mental) and nutrition and well-being.
Each participant takes a health risk assessment (HRA) to get their status and numbers. “From that, we offer programs and resources and education for employees relating to three key areas: nutrition, mental resilience and exercise,” said Laura Murray, North American wellness and Canadian benefits manager with Unilever.
“If we’re going to meet growth objectives, we need healthy employees,” she continued. “If employees can bring their best selves to work each day, we will get that back in spades.”
It offers biometric screenings, local wellness events and health coaching via phone. It has discounted fitness programs and pedometer challenges.
It offers an on-site employee assistance program (EAP) where employees can go on a drop-in basis. It also has “agile working practices” (e.g., flex time).
Unilever started the program in 2012, and it has seen some reduction in its claims for mental health, cardiovascular and musculoskeletal, which is the biggest health issue, especially in the company’s plants, said Murray.
“It has gotten into the culture, and people are recognizing that they need to be healthy,” she said.
Read: Chronic diseases taking a toll on Canadians
DHL Exel Supply Chain
Stefanie Cesaritti, director of compensation and benefits, said DHL Exel Supply Chain is striving to be an employer of choice, noting that employee well-being is an important part of this.
DHL’s focus for employees is “getting into the healthy zone.”
It targets three priorities.
- Integration It integrated its EAP with disability management and focuses on improving employee workplace productivity and helps employees manage their diseases while off on disability.
- Track and reward It launched an online HRA and tracked activities for employees to earn credits and win prizes.
- Redesigned benefits program It promotes healthy behaviour through giving employees opportunities to earn extra wellness credits (e.g., for completing the HRA, bringing a brownbag lunch twice a week, going to the dentist, etc.) to encourage healthy behaviours.
“It’s challenging for us because our sites are located across the country and not all branded the same,” she said, “so it’s difficult to influence that change, but we have to start somewhere.”