Wellness

Even as scientists predict DNA testing will transform medicine, advocates say that doctors and hospitals are ignoring existing tests that could help prevent thousands of cancer deaths and medical companies aren’t promoting their less-lucrative products enough.

Employers are keeping up their smoking-cessation efforts even as obesity grabs the headlines, says Provant’s Amy McAllister, and those who incentivize employees’ quit attempts are most likely to see health care costs reduced.

Rates of hearing loss in the workplace are rising rapidly and screenings and treatments to deal with the problem need to be strategized by employers who want to keep experienced workers.

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.

Officials from Weight Watchers say that not only can their programs save companies money on health costs, the positive effects can spread to spouses and children.

Lifestyle, diet improvements may be linked to welcome decline in American adults’ cholesterol level.

Two health officials from Target try to bull’s-eye the company’s unique approach to health care, medicine and a culture of wellness, and they say it’s all about innovation.

The Association of American Medical Colleges says that nationwide the United States has a shortage of around 13,000 doctors, and it’s no longer just rural patients who are having to wait or travel for care.

Wellness plans, just like any other benefit an employer offers, are only effective if employees are aware of them and understand their features and advantages. Effective communication is critical to employee engagement, says BeAdvised contributor Doug Mantz.

Employee well-being obviously leads to lower health costs and absences, but a new Healthways study says employees with high well-being are also more likely to stay with their current employer.

By shifting employee assistance programs from addressing mental problems to improving mental and overall health, companies can remove much of the illness stigma and increase utilization.

Majority of patients say cost is the biggest problem facing U.S. health care.

The contrasting factors of those keeping active longer and those who might not have been active enough are leading to a surge of knee replacement surgeries, and it’s getting expensive.

Using interactive applications to help plan participants.

Employers are rapidly expanding wellness programs, and specifically tobacco cessation, as a strategy to combat increasing health care costs.

There are two ways employers can ensure participation in worksite wellness programs.

Contributing Editor Andrew Sykes outlines how office space is shrinking and what can be done to encourage healthier work spaces.

Manufacturers expect to produce nearly 150 million doses of flu vaccine this season, and a new report from Walgreens says the doctor’s office is the pricey place to get them.

Proponents say telehealth services don’t just reduce absenteeism and help curb expensive treatment patterns, they can actually change those costly behaviors.

Open enrollment is a stressful time for Americans: Choosing benefits ranks as employees’ second most difficult decision, following retirement saving, according to a new survey from Aetna.