HEALTHIEST

MARYLAND

BUSINESSES

Dianna E. Abney, MD

Health Officer

Charles County Department of Health

Healthiest Maryland Businesses

Statewide movement to create a culture of wellness—an environment where the healthiest choice is the easiest choice—through policy, systems, and environmental change.

This initiative began in May 2010.

QUESTIONS

EMPLOYERS ASK…

•Why offer employee wellness programs to

employees?

•Where do I begin?

•What do I get out of it?

•How much will it cost?

•Where do I get help?

Growing Burden of Ill Health

• $3.1 trillion is the total health-related

costs in US. (2012 data)*

* Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

Indirect Costs:

•Presenteeism

•Absenteeism

•Short term disability

•Long term disability

•Worker’s Comp

Direct Costs:

•Medical

•Pharmaceutical

A problem of huge proportions

David R. Anderson, Ph.D.

Portrait of

US Workers

59% do not get adequate exercise

50+% have high cholesterol

27% have cardiovascular disease

26% are overweight by 20%+

24% have high blood pressure

(Dept. Health & Human

Services)

Improved health = Saved Money

• Keep healthy people healthy = $350/year saved

• Reduce high risk employees’ health risks =

$153/year saved

• Median Return on Investment

can be as high as $3 for every

$1 spent** Goetzel

How can worksite wellness help?

• healthcare costs

• absenteeism & lost time

• presenteeism

• employee morale

• attractiveness of your workplace

• turnover

What can programs look like?

Simple ideas

• Putting up signs on vending machines/elevators

• Serving healthier foods at meetings

• Encouraging walk breaks

• Education

Larger initiatives

•Policy changes

•Employee

discounts/subsidies

Benefits to HMB

Free to employers of any size.Consultation with certified worksite wellness personnel

Educational training events and forums

E-Newsletters with direct connection to evidence-based workplace wellness resources

Peer-to-peer support

Promotion as a member in this leading, statewide initiative.

Southern Region HMB Members

• Arrow American Pest & Termite Control, LLC

• Be Happy Be Healthy

• Calvert County Health Department

• Cambridge Pediatrics

• Center for Children

• Charles County Department of Health

• College of Southern Maryland

• Community Bank of Tri-County

• Jazzercise Charlotte Hall

• Jon S. Frank and Associates

• LK Deal Electric

• Longevity Studios

• MedStar St. Mary's

• SMECO

• St. Mary's County Government

• St. Mary's County Health Department

• St. Mary's Nursing Center, Inc.

• The Wills Group

• Trinity Fitness

• United Way of Calvert County

It’s FREE. It’s EASY

Sign Commitment Letter

Complete Online Assessment Annually

CDC’s Worksite Health ScoreCard

• Identify your organization's

employee health management

strengths and areas for

improvement.

• Once you complete the

modified ScoreCard, your

Regional Coordinator will

contact you to discuss the

results.

• http://www.surveymonkey.com/

s/HMBHealthScoreCard

Questions???