Q: Most of our clients want to “see the data,” but we don’t really have any data.
A: “We ask who is championing the data; who is responsible for pulling the data together?”
A: “Define information expectations at the outset of your relationship with the employer.”
A: “There’s an inherent dilemma here: employers tend to understand the value of wellness programs conceptually, but the bond breaks down when they ask for quantitative justification.”
A: “Data can mean all sorts of things to all sorts of people: learn to drill down to what they really want.”
A: “ROI is hard to fit into an equation because many wellness interventions have long-term effects.”
Q: What is the ultimate wellness dashboard?
A: “Find a blend between what you feel is most appropriate and what the buyer feels they need.”
A: “Many tend to use a bottom-up strategy, that is bringing in small employers and building from there. But a top-down strategy is better. Begin with an internal program or a program with a model company within the service area and expand from there.”
Q: Do wellness contracts make sense?
A: “We have noticed employers being moved savvy in putting their organization at risk.”
A: “Those doing it right coordinate their vendors and [wellness providers]; they should all be sitting at the table and coordinating their activities. All the players need to be held accountable.”
A: “Contracts vary. Written communications and letters of understanding are important. But formal contracts can delay the process and keep employers at a distance from the process.”
Q: How do we charge for wellness programs?
A: “Avoid being a loss leader in order to generate referrals.”
A: “Determine your costs: staff, lab work, administrative buy-in. Do your homework. How much is it going to cost you?”
Q: We are a blended urgent care clinic. Should our approach be any different than regular occupational health programs?
A: “Having a strategic relationship with an external group that does a good job with health coaching would be very helpful.”
A: “Urgent care centers usually do not have a breadth of personnel or pockets as deep as health systems. You need to subcontract out various services. You need to overcome the lack of internal expertise. It is too easy to fall back on doing various episodic things.”
