Overheard: Wellness screenings are like the 'Wild West'

When I think of the "Wild West," I imagine utter lawlessness and duels at dawn, not kind phlebotomists saying, "Just a little stick." But when it comes to worksite wellness screenings, the folks at Summit Health say the "Wild West is alive and well."

Turns out, the lawlessness I imagined can be applied to onsite health screenings, Summit says. While national and local regulations cover finger sticks and blood draws, no single organization or regulatory body has set national standards and monitors on-site health screenings or flu shot programs.

Summit, which provides wellness screenings, addresses the issue in a new white paper, covering such topics as HIPAA compliance, confidentiality, staff licensing and training, liability insurance, pricing policies, account management, integration issues, health coaching skills, data quality and the overall participant experience. The paper also features an appendix of sample questions that should be asked of a potential screening partner during the selection process.

“Selecting the wrong partner can lead to legal and regulatory issues, loss in employee confidence, and a significant setback for a company’s wellness program,” explains Richard Penington, president and CEO of Summit Health. “Some newer flu shot and wellness vendors don’t always have the people and financial resources, or knowledge, to meet every federal and state requirement or best practice—they may offer a lower per-person cost, but it could very well be at the expense of quality, safety and legality.”