Join us as we engage in a conversation with Cameron Deml and Ted Borgstadt on the practical application of how Total Person Health came to life at Rural Letter Carriers Association and the evolving activities to drive a holistic improvement in the employee population’s health and resulting reduction in healthcare costs.
Town Hall Overview:
The National Rural Letter Carriers Association (NRLCA) has been exploring a novel approach to total person health and comprehensive pain management. With a firm belief in the impact of a holistic approach, they have been working closely with TrestleTree, specialists in health behavior change, towards providing comprehensive healthcare strategies for their members.
The Intersection of Total Person Health and Pain Management
Dr. Larry Earl welcomed representatives from NRLCA and TrestleTree in a recent NAOHP webinar series. The discussion centered around a practical application of how total person health affects the broader healthcare efforts within the Rural Letter Carriers Association.
Cameron Demmel, the Director of Insurance Programs for NRLCA, informed that they have around 30,000 plan subscribers with approximately 100,000 members as a part of the association. The association’s health plan faces unique challenges propelled by demographic and occupational factors, including an aging workforce with the average age of 57 and the physical toll from delivering mail.
Recognizing how occupational issues lead to musculoskeletal problems and other health concerns like skin cancer, NRLCA prioritized the holistic improvement of employee health.
The Journey with TrestleTree
To adequately address these challenges, NRLCA acknowledged the need for a transformative strategy. They turned to TrestleTree to access unique health programs focused on total person health.
TrestleTree helped NRLCA members to navigate pain-related problems and various other co-existing conditions like type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity and tobacco use.
Sizeable Success Measures
The collaboration between NRLCA and TrestleTree resulted in impressive statistics that demonstrated the value of their approach. They confirmed a 32% increase in alternative pain management strategies, a 62% reduction of severe pain among their members and a 57% decrease in individuals suffering from moderate pain.
Furthermore, the partnership between NRLCA and TrestleTree redefined how health problems should be viewed. By closely tracking and addressing the root causes of pain, the focus has broadened from just meeting immediate healthcare needs to understanding and addressing the wider context of a member’s health.
A Step towards a More Comprehensive Healthcare Approach
The future for NRLCA lies in furthering their collaborative approach. They aim to reinforce their relationship with provider offices, enhance engagement and ascertain how they can be an asset to provider practices.
NRLCA is aware that leveraging its strengths with a partner like TrestleTree can be strategic in providing holistic care models. By focusing on the total person health approach, NRLCA is not just dealing with immediate health issues but is also addressing overarching healthcare challenges, setting a premier example for other organizations.
This integrated approach towards total person health and comprehensive pain management reiterates the need for providing holistic solutions in healthcare, particularly for organizations facing unique challenges like the NRLCA.
