Wellness

The vote by the American Psychiatric Association follows a seven-year debate that split the mental health community over whether the changes will spur over-diagnosis of some autism spectrum disorders, and limit treatment for others.

Recent research appears to show that the savings from preventing health risks are far broader and faster than many had anticipated.

Dr. Barry Franklin, William Beaumont Hospital’s director of cardiac rehabilitation and exercise laboratories, sits down with EBN to discuss what offices can do to make workers’ rehab and return-to-work from heart attacks more effective and efficient.

Sit-stand workstations create movement and energy for employees who sit in front of a computer for long hours, such as many knowledge workers and call center employees.

A smoker’s need for a support network is one reason smoking-cessation programs in the workplace have a good chance at success.

Justices this week gave no obvious indication of their stance on the case of James McCutchen, who was sued by his benefit plan administrator in an attempt to recoup medical expenses.

Health care reform shifts how hospitals are reimbursed, taking into account patient satisfaction — which could well be mitigated by long emergency room waits — but will online reservations encourage patients to seek even more expensive ER care for non-emergencies?

Provisions associated with PPACA increase the amount an employer can offer for tobacco cessation from 20% of the total cost of health coverage to 50%.

More than half of American smokers tried to stop at some point in the past year, and the average number of cigarettes smoked per day dropped.

Up to 20% of those who take currently available medication to lower bad cholesterol suffer from side effects, but new medicines may take unusual forms — engineered tomatoes and yogurt.

The average worker who files long-term disability from acute coronary syndrome misses 397 days of work, for which they will only be paid 271, finds a new study presented at an American Heart Association meeting this week.

Guest blogger Linda K. Riddell offers practical advice to achieve what all employers want: more, better, faster wellness results.

People who have low well-being, a Healthway study concludes, are twice as likely to have high health care claims costs and four times more likely to visit the emergency room or take short-term disability leave.

Lafarge enlists the help of Dr. Michael Roizen from the Cleveland Clinic to transform the company’s culture of wellness.

Manatee County in Florida and Fond du Lac County in Wisconsin outline their wellness programs that tailor outreach to individual employee needs

How to use stories to sell wellness.

John Lamb shares the new math of employee benefits.

Sue Shepherd’s experiments with ‘Fodmaps’ diets are changing the way doctors and nutritionists look at unhealthy stomachs, and healthy ones too.

Fresno, Calif., would be first to test “health impact bonds” — a new means of financing preventive care programs where payers share savings with private investors.

Small businesses that have implemented health and wellness programs overwhelmingly report a positive impact on the bottom line. However, most of these employers still haven’t got the message.