SHPS Contributes to “Human Resources 2008: Answers To The Top 25 HR Questions In 2008” Published by Thompson Publishing Group, Inc.

LOUISVILLE, Ky.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--SHPS, a leading provider of health advocacy and health benefit solutions, announced today that its comprehensive examination of employee wellness as an integral component of a total population health management strategy will be included in the upcoming publication of Human Resources 2008: Answers To The Top 25 HR Questions In 2008, a book published by Thompson Publishing Group, Inc. “Successful Wellness Programs: What Separates Best-in-Class From All The Rest” focuses upon today’s solutions moving beyond health awareness toward behavioral theory and quantifiable results.

“We are honored to contribute to this high profile book, share our experiences with wellness initiatives, and help human resource executives to establish benchmarks for initiating and maintaining successful wellness programs that reflect a broader integrated care management strategy,” says Krishnan Sastry, SHPS’ executive vice president, strategic development and innovation. “We developed this chapter on wellness with a focus on the importance of implementing an integrated, person-centric approach that embodies strategically sound core practices. The goal is to improve employee health as well as to generate a positive return-on-investment for employers.”

Co-authored by SHPS’ Mark Anderson, vice president, product management, wellness solutions, and Lori Huss, director, wellness operations, the book chapter studies the evolution of healthcare from “feel good” programs to highly developed preventive health services that have become the cornerstone of employee performance and enhanced bottom-line results.

“This discussion of wellness is particularly timely since chronic diseases are now regarded as the leading cause of direct healthcare costs for employers, with researchers estimating that 75 percent of all healthcare costs stem from preventable chronic health conditions such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and obesity – all major causes of lost productivity,” continues Sastry. “The investment in wellness is paying dividends.”

As the authors explain, today’s strategic wellness programs typically include Web and paper-based interventions, personal health assessments, telephonic health coaching and biometric screening or evaluations. They are often integrated with disease and case management solutions and may include work-site solutions such as fitness facilities, on-site clinics and other health-related service offerings.

As outlined in the chapter, the goals of wellness and prevention are to:

			1.		Identify individuals who could benefit from treatment for a condition or complication about which they are unaware;
			2.		Encourage individuals to avoid or delay disease by practicing healthy lifestyles; and
			3.		Prevent further disability among individuals with established disease.

As Sastry explains, “We looked at flaws in wellness programs and how they’ve improved over time. Historically, companies relied too heavily on unsophisticated health risk assessments (HRAs), many of which did not assess critical behavioral factors such as an employee’s motivation and self-confidence in making key lifestyle changes. They also failed to determine the barriers preventing an individual’s path to a healthier lifestyle. And yet many of these programs remain active, encompassing a wide variation in content, design and quality. They lack consistency and simply distribute generalized health information to employees with limited follow-up or attention to clinical outcomes.”

Sastry adds that only recently have employers begun to embrace programs that take an analytical approach to personalizing information based upon an employee’s needs and involvement in other health management programs.

“Today’s solutions are now grounded in behavioral theory and are fully capable of demonstrating quantifiable results,” Sastry adds. “The ultimate value of wellness programs and care management solutions is to prevent a person’s migration to the higher, more expensive spectrum of the care continuum.”

Human Resources 2008: Answers To The Top 25 HR Questions In 2008 is available for purchase for $219.00, plus $19.95 shipping and handling at: http://www.thompson.com/answrwellness.

About SHPS

SHPS is a leading, independent provider of integrated health solutions that improve personal health and reduce spending. By integrating traditional health management and benefits administration services, SHPS delivers people-centric solutions that empower individuals to make wise healthcare choices. It serves large and mid-sized employers, government agencies, and third-party administrators through the company’s Carewise® Health, Landacorp, and SHPS brands. Visit www.carewisehealth.com.