Offering whole-health care helps employees be their best selves by establishing ongoing support across their personal health journeys. More than ever, today’s employers have an opportunity to offer well-rounded benefits, beginning with integrated preventive care and extending through chronic condition management. Not only does this create robust employee support reinforcing an improved quality of life, but it can also drive significant cost savings.
Condition management includes services for people managing ongoing, chronic health concerns. This tailored and holistic support can include things like:
- Continuous condition monitoring.
- Medication counseling.
- Nutrition coaching and exercise plans.
- Support groups.
- Personalized coaching.
What Is A Chronic Health Condition?
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), six in ten Americans have at least one chronic health condition, which are the leading causes of death and disability when not properly managed. The CDC also reports more than two-thirds of all deaths are caused by at least one of the following chronic conditions: heart disease, stroke, cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), or diabetes.
These numbers are only expected to increase as the American population ages. Preventive health measures may help reduce some incidences of disease, but chronic care management is essential to keep conditions and costs well-managed. Together, these two approaches can provide a scalable, sustainable way to support improved employee health.
Most Healthcare Spend Goes Toward Managing High-Cost Conditions
The U.S. has the greatest healthcare spending relative to other high-income countries, but also reports the highest rate of people with multiple chronic conditions.
According to Anthem internal data, 70% of healthcare claims are tied to ten different areas — all of which are associated with chronic conditions, from oncology to cardiovascular disease and even diabetes. The need for chronic care management is well-documented and only continues to increase.
Chronic Conditions And Behavioral Health Go Hand-In-Hand
There is growing awareness of the connection between chronic conditions and behavioral health concerns and how they can exacerbate each other. It’s vital for employers to understand this correlation — and offer resources to address these needs.
Anthem research shows one-third of people with a chronic physical health condition also report a behavioral health condition. Chronic conditions and behavioral health needs can significantly impact absenteeism, employee productivity, and even employee retention. Chronic conditions also cost organizations $36.4 billion per year from missed work days, showcasing the importance of preventive care and chronic care management.
What You Can Do To Support Employees With Ongoing Health Concerns
Leveraging personalized clinical programs that support chronic care management can control costs and improve outcomes by providing care when it’s needed most — and help intervene before small health issues become larger ones.
These proactive programs balance providing essential services while also optimally timing early interventions. Shifting to ongoing chronic care management increases the likelihood that diseases are caught before they can progress, translating into better patient outcomes. In turn, healthcare costs are lowered, while emergency and urgent care services are reduced.
Designing a health plan focused on condition management and employee well-being is the critical first step to setting these personalized programs in motion. Monitoring population health with powerful data sources and tools like Client Information Insights Evolve allows employers to proactively uncover health trends, increase engagement, and identify opportunities for improved health outcomes.
A trusted healthcare partner like Anthem can help you identify the right chronic condition programs and services to tailor a whole-health approach that fits your organization’s needs, including the programs to best serve your workforce.