Most of the times, hospitals only learn about employer concerns indirectly, when their health plan partners get clobbered by benefit managers. But in Wichita, at least, hospitals have begun working with local employers to lower health costs through improved wellness programs. Among other steps, hospitals are helping employers create in-house wellness divisions, working to develop employee wellness profiles and offering low-cost access to health improvement options such as smoking cessation classes. Some of these hospitals are working with consultants like Aegis, a Nashville-based consulting firm that specializes in fostering collaboration between employers with hospitals. One case in point is Wesley Medical Center, which pays Aegis to work with about 100 local employers. This outreach effort helped Wesley pick up access to 6,500 employees, when Raytheon Aircraft came on board via one of its insurance contracts.
To learn more about hospital-employer cooperation:
- read this Wichita Eagle article