Be Health Connected

Managers can have a significant impact – either positive or negative – on workplace factors such as job satisfaction, turnover, organizational performance, and employee well-being. This is especially true when managers are faced with an employee mental health concern, where many may feel uncomfortable and ill-prepared to be attentive and responsive. That's why building and fostering an emotionally...

Many of us have experienced a headache in our lifetime. But for those suffering from migraines, headaches present themselves in a much more severe and debilitating form. Although a recognized medical condition among both patients and providers alike, there is still much more work to be done to increase awareness of migraines as a disease, their impact on those suffering, and the potential implicat...

Depression affects more than 16 million Americans and is the leading cause of disability worldwide, costing the US economy over $210 billion per year in absenteeism, reduced productivity, and medical costs. In the wake of National Depression Screening Day in October, employers can consider opportunities to create a workplace culture that increases awareness, reduces stigma, and encourages help-see...

The passage of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 ushered in a new era of health care transparency, while also reinforcing employers’ fiduciary responsibilities as plan sponsors to assess the fairness of the prices they pay. Hospital costs continue to be one of the fastest-growing expenditures in the US economy, with employers paying two to five times that of Medicare charges for the same...

Work-life balance is a popular buzzword describing the practice of maintaining symmetry between one’s personal life and professional life. But with these lines becoming more blurred due to COVID-19, employers face even greater challenges in designing benefits, policies, and programs to better integrate employees' roles at work and at home. In this episode of the Be Health Connected podcast, we are...

The National Diabetes Prevention Program (also known as the National DPP) is an evidence-based lifestyle change program that has been proven to prevent or delay type 2 diabetes in adults. People with prediabetes who take part in this structured lifestyle change program can reduce their risk of developing type 2 diabetes by up to 58%, and up to 71% for people over 60 years old. In this episode of t...

Filling open positions continues to be a top challenge among businesses in the pandemic-era. In the face of staffing shortages and high levels of workforce burnout, employers are having to evolve their recruitment and retention strategies to attract and keep talent. While flexibility, benefits, and perks can play a role, the most innovative organizations are looking inward for the answers. To disc...

From the time that we are young, we are taught that washing our hands is one of the best ways to prevent the spread of germs. But this simple act is not always executed as frequently as desired…even in health care settings where patient safety may be at risk. In fact, studies show that on average, health care providers wash their hands less than half of the times that they should. And this la...

As health care costs have risen, so has the financial responsibility of employees for many insurance plans and services. According to Kaiser Family Foundation, the average general annual deductible has increased 25% over the past five years, with out-of-pocket maximums topping out at over $8,000 for single coverage and over $16,000 for family coverage. Considering that medical bills are reported t...

Nearly two years after the declaration of COVID-19 as a global pandemic, we continue to unpack its far-reaching effects. By examining regional commercial claims data, the Midwest Health Initiative is helping purchasers, providers, and the larger community understand and interpret the pandemic’s impact on health care delivery and utilization, as well as the potential for future changes. On this epi...

Many organizations are familiar with traditional occupational safety practices, implemented to protect employees from work-related hazards. But, as the pandemic has clearly demonstrated, these hazards extend far beyond the physical workplace environment and can include other job-related and sociodemographic factors that negatively impact an employee’s well-being. For this reason, the National Inst...

With COVID-19 variants spurring an uptick in cases and hospitalizations across the country, communities and businesses continue to grapple with questions around how to minimize future spread. This is complicated further by the impending flu season, leaving many to wonder if we will be facing a difficult fall and winter with two circulating viruses. To provide clarity around these concern...

As patients, we all hope that the hospitals and outpatient facilities that we choose will provide the best care for us and our loved ones. But the reality is that quality, safety, and outcomes can vary dramatically depending on the facility. That is why transparency is so critical in ensuring that patients and purchasers of health care have the information needed to make important decisions....

COVID-19 has drastically altered the health care environment – including access, delivery, affordability, and patient needs. In the third and final episode of our three-part series on “Building Resilience in a Post-Pandemic World,” we are joined by Stephanie Vojicic, Regional Vice President of Sales, and Summer Groth, Account Executive, Beacon Health Partnerships, for Anthem, Inc. to&nbs...

As part of a special three-part podcast series on “Building Resilience in a Post-Pandemic World,” the BHC is exploring next steps for individuals, businesses, and our communities in recovering from the current crisis and preparing for the next. For the second episode in this series, we are joined by Dr. John Wigneswaran, or as many like to call him “Dr. Wig,” to talk about the current state of the...

On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization declared novel coronavirus disease 2019 (otherwise known as COVID-19) to be a global pandemic. As we reflect on the past year and the path forward to recovery, the BHC is pleased to launch a special three-part podcast series on “Building Resilience in a Post-Pandemic World.” For our first episode, we will be discussing the role social determinants i...

Evidence shows that having a primary care doctor can produce high-value results, including better patient outcomes, fewer inequities, and lower overall costs. But despite these benefits, primary care investment is lagging in the United States, leading to lower numbers of family medicine physicians and general internists, compared to other medical specialties. In light of this PCP shortage, employe...

February is American Heart Month, a time to increase awareness about the impact of cardiovascular disease in the United States and consider opportunities to prevent and better manage this condition. Despite widespread public health efforts, heart disease remains the leading cause of death for men and women in the U.S., responsible for nearly 655,000 fatalities (or 1 in every 4 deaths) each ye...

As the incidence of type 2 diabetes increases globally, the fight against this chronic disease continues. And while countless programs are on the market to help patients prevent or manage their condition, research now exists that suggests reversal is possible. Though it may not be achievable for everyone with type 2 diabetes, it is an exciting option for some. In this episode of the Be Health Conn...

In June 2013, the American Medical Association voted to recognize obesity as a disease, a decision that was expected to improve research efforts, align insurance coverage and provider reimbursement, and remove the stigma commonly attributed to poor lifestyle behaviors. Years later, however, many of these goals remain to be unseen, with obesity prevalence continuing to rise across the U.S. pop...

When it comes to managing diabetes, physical health is only part of the equation. Those with diabetes have an increased risk of developing depression and poor mental health, and, like a revolving door, those suffering from depression may have a greater chance of developing type 2 diabetes.  In today’s world of isolation and uncertainty, addressing the connection between mental and physical we...

Introduced by the American Diabetes Association in 2001, prediabetes remains an unfamiliar clinical term for many, despite its increasing prevalence in our country. In fact, prediabetes is now the second most common chronic disease (after overweight/obesity) in the United States, with nearly 84 million adults believed to be afflicted. But how is this condition impacting our local region, and what...