NASHVILLE, Tenn., April 29 /PRNewswire/ -- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) this week announced $30 million in new grant funding to support research into employee health and wellness programs -- a move Gordian Health Solutions, Inc. applauds.
Gordian, a leader in population health management, works with employers to demonstrate that keeping employees healthier increases productivity, reduces absenteeism and lowers overall health care costs. The results of this CDC research effort will bring that message to a larger audience, says Gregg O. Lehman, president and CEO of Gordian.
“Twenty percent of the workforce accounts for 80 percent of health care costs, and it’s out of control,” Lehman says. Employers who give employees an incentive to change risky health behavior can see big improvements in the bottom line.
That idea is precisely what the CDC grants are intended to support. Up to $14 million of the initiative targets projects that will provide employers with evidence to promote worker health. When it comes to broad health promotion, CDC has discovered that employers need more science-based evidence to choose the best options among workplace health promotion programs.
The rising cost of poor health behaviors prompts the grant funding. Annual U.S. medical expenditures attributed to obesity alone are estimated at $93 billion.
Lehman says the financial rewards to companies who implement successful population health management strategies are proven.
“By actively getting at-risk employees into these programs, within the first year companies can see a return on investment,” he says. Gordian clients average a return of $2 in savings for every $1 spent on health management, net on fees paid to Gordian, Lehman says.
CDC has allocated two additional blocks of funds aimed at increasing the number of individuals and institutions involved in public health research. An additional $1 million has been allocated to establish a Center for Excellence in Health Promotion Economics.
About Gordian Health Solutions, Inc.
Gordian is a national population health management company based in Nashville, Tennessee. The company offers a comprehensive suite of products and services such as population health risk analysis, telephonic counseling, online products, health education hotlines, on-site health education/fitness center management and lifestyle and disease management programs. Gordian works with employers, health plans and hospitals to identify, control and manage health risks and their associated costs. Through targeted and tailored programs, and sophisticated tracking, monitoring and reporting capabilities, Gordian works with clients to measure program progress and cost savings. Visit Gordian at http://www.gordian-health.com/.
To view the CDC announcement “CDC Boosts External Research to Protect Americans’ Health” go to: http://www.cdc.gov/od/oc/media/pressrel/r040427.htm
To view the HHS report “Prevention Makes Common Cents” go to: http://aspe.hhs.gov/health/prevention/
Gordian Health Solutions, Inc.; Health2 Resources
CONTACT: Karla Hurter, +1-703-319-0957, for Gordian Health Solutions,Inc.