A Glimmer of Good: Employers Engage Employees in Whole-Person Health Discussions, Choices - ConsumerMedical
A Glimmer of Good: Employers Engage Employees in Whole-Person Health Discussions, Choices
Jessica X. Hennessey	
Initiating conversations about mental health and substance use disorders (SUDs) is difficult for clinicians and healthcare providers, never mind human resources professionals. Yet, a growing number are drawing outside the lines to normalize and encourage these conversations among employees to improve whole-person health. I’m talking about companies of all sizes and industries offering classes and discussion groups and expanding their benefit designs to connect the dots between identifying a behavioral health need, increasing awareness of resources, and getting people the care and support they require. It’s a trend worth watching.
The truth is that far too many people suffer with behavioral health (mental health and substance use disorders) issues that affect the quality of their lives. It also affects company morale and productivity—one reason companies are actively helping employees take better care of themselves. For context, four in 10 adults suffer from depression or anxiety and 53% of adults age 18 and older say stress related to COVID-19 has affected their mental health, according to reports. Experts expect the numbers to increase because of COVID-19—another reason HR professionals are talking more openly about addressing mental health and treatment for SUDs, which include unhealthy use of illegal and legal drugs as well as alcohol.
For example, companies are including addiction treatment options and support in benefits packages and some are relaxing network limits, which is increasingly important considering the increasing incidence of opioid overdoses and data, which show that 70% of people who have SUDs are working.
Removing the Stigma: Normalizing conversations
The opportunity for HR professionals and managers to intervene and guide employees to take better care of themselves isn’t new. What is new is the way they’re approaching behavioral health and helping employees use benefits early and often. Telemedicine, or virtual health, is one modality that is helping expand access to behavioral health networks while drastically reducing the time employees must wait to access providers or other community resources.
Other accompanying services, including self-care videos, well-being calls, online meditation sessions, educational tools (and dedicated breaks) have also been adopted by employers to help people manage stress and anxiety, which influence health.
In addition to changing benefit designs to address mind, body, and spirit, HR professionals are widening the scope of their packages to help people find the best in-network providers, which leads to lower out-of-pocket costs. They’re also adding services to help employees find and make appointments, and providing support for patients, families, and caregivers. ConsumerMedical® is offering this approach to improve access and reduce stigma and is seeing a positive impact. Early results show participants are highly satisfied with the guidance they are getting to find quality care.
The need for these services is clear. Ninety-five percent of people who responded to a ConsumerMedical survey said they’d benefit from behavioral healthcare. Half of the respondents said they—or someone they know—dealt with mental health problems in the last year and few knew where or how to find help. This is where HR professionals—and their benefit designs—enter the picture.
It’s encouraging to see employers enhancing and encouraging use of benefits for behavioral healthcare. And while there is a proven financial benefit to their actions, the primary driver for these investments is employee well-being, according to industry data. It’s a glimmer of good amid the pandemic gloom.
Sharing resources early and often with employees and families struggling with depression, anxiety, grief and loss, bipolar disorders, eating disorders, and SUDs improves the chances they’ll get the care they need. Offering services that connect them with providers—identifying in-network providers and making appointments—gets them even closer to that goal. It’s a game-changer that will set employers apart in their efforts to recruit and retain employees, which is—as we know—an organization’s best asset.
Take a look at these articles for more ideas and information about this positive trend, which we will continue to watch:
Employers Enhance Emotional Well-Being Benefits in 2020
Addressing Opioids in the Workplace: A Pathway to Saving Jobs and Lives
The Mental Health Movement in the Workplace—check out the “employee benefits” section
Working with Benefits Providers: Mental Health Checklist
Employers Must Brace for Increased Employee Substance Misuse Due to Pandemic’s Impact on Mental Health
Post COVID-19 Nightmare: Employee Substance Abuse on the Job
Meet the Speakers Looking for Value? The presence of an onsite nurse advocate doesn’t just lead to grateful employees. It leads to value-driven, quality care.. Accurate diagnoses +Evidence-based treatment +High-quality…	
Helping employees manage elective surgery demand in uncertain times
With the latest COVID resurgence forcing hospitals to curtail and even cancel elective surgeries, employers are again concerned about the impact of delayed care on their employees and how to…	
The next generation of healthcare consumerism: How companies are boldly engaging employees in their healthcare choices
The blind trust problem There’s an implicit trust between provider and patient, a trust that can sometimes be misplaced. Diagnoses are often given with certainty, and patients often take the…	