An employee’s health issues can greatly impact your company’s profit line. Insurance premiums continue to skyrocket, and an employee missing work because of health problems lowers productivity and costs your company time and money in recruiting and training someone to take their place, either temporarily or permanently.

Luckily, some companies offer on-site health screenings that can catch potential problems before they become critical or even deadly. Health education, early detection, and appropriate intervention maximize returns from investments in wellness programs and lower health insurance costs.

Perhaps the three most important screening tests are those that identify employees at risk for stroke, peripheral artery disease (PAD), and abdominal aneurysms. If problems are found early enough through preventive screening, then a combination of lifestyle changes, medication, and/or surgery can often save a person’s life and at the very least, can save a person from debilitating illness. Below, find out how to identify at-risk employees through corporate wellness programs.

Stroke

Most strokes are caused by clots that block arteries to the brain, with carotid artery disease being the leading cause of those clots. At a screening, trained medical professionals will conduct an ultrasound scan of the carotid arteries. If clots are found, the employee’s doctor can strategize a plan of lifestyle changes, medication, or surgery to prevent the clots from traveling to the brain and causing a stroke. In almost half of all stroke victims, there were no symptoms beforehand, but the good news is that up to 80 percent of all strokes can be prevented through preventive screening.

Peripheral Artery Disease

When arteries in the legs harden and narrow due to fatty plaque buildup, a person develops peripheral artery disease, or PAD as it is commonly known. If left untreated, this condition can cause gangrene and amputation, but more importantly, people with untreated PAD are four to six times more likely to die from a heart attack or stroke. At the screening, the blood pressure in the ankle is compared to the blood pressure in the arm to determine if there is healthy blood flow. If a problem is found, the employee’s doctor may recommend endovascular therapy or surgery, as well as lifestyle changes.

Abdominal Aneurysms

High blood pressure, hardening of the arteries, certain genetic conditions, and normal wear and tear can sometimes cause the abdominal aorta to develop a weak spot that eventually ruptures. If the aorta ruptures, it is excruciatingly painful, and in 90 percent of cases, death occurs within minutes or shortly after arrival at the hospital. To identify those employees at risk for an abdominal aneurysm, a screening will include a color Doppler ultrasound, which will locate any bulging in the aorta. Depending on the size of the aneurysm, a physician may recommend a watch-and-wait plan or surgery.

Utilizing corporate wellness programs to identify those employees at risk for serious health problems before they are significantly impacted saves your company money in health insurance costs. These programs also increase productivity and profit, not only because healthy employees have better concentration and energy, but also because you will not have to recruit and train as many new employees. Additionally, absenteeism will decrease, and employee morale will improve.

Author Bio: For more information on corporate wellness programs, visit http://www.healthyes.com/Public/Misc/CorporateWellness.aspx.

Category: Wellness, Fitness and Diet
Keywords: wellness programs, employee health, employee wellness, corporate health, corporate health programs