Critique

2008 Koop Award Winner

Lincoln Industries Wellness -- Go! Platinum - Lincoln Industries

The following are verbatim remarks made by the reviewers:

Program Strengths

A:

• 100% participation 522/522
• Quarterly physicals, year long PA challenge, HRA, cash incentive, tobacco cessation, health education seminars, wellness reimbursements, local race sponsors
• Significant decrease in lifestyle associated claims (34% down to 17%)
• Decreased HCC
• Decreased Tobacco users (42% down to 19%)
• $5.30 ROI
• Very invested leadership
• Program is superb.  Very, very impressive

B:

• Senior management commitment and integration of program into company culture, business strategy, company policies, and belief statements.
• Tracking of entire population health status and risks due to mandatory testing regime.
• 100% participation through mandatory quarterly wellness checks, including biometrics, and 1-on-1 coaching
• Company time for wellness programs
• Integration of wellness into performance management and leadership development systems
• Integration of wellness, safety, and disease management
• Mandatory stretching, massage, and work hardening into work day based on job profile

C:

• Broadly supported programming effort
• Ambitious approach to employee health management
• Shows strong management support
• Very innovative approach to incentives (Mountain climb with senior executives)
• Comprehensive approach

D:

• Longstanding and successful program
• Risks down, especially blood pressure
• Institutionalized – high participant rates
• ROI analysis 5.3 but unusual approach

E:

• Long running program – since 1977
• Small employer (N=992) but high participation
• Leader drives incentive – platinum award is an all-expense paid climb to a 14,000 ft mountain in Colorado
• Dedicated staff – 3 f/t staff including wellness director
• Tobacco use dropped from 42% to 19% (2004-2007) – elsewhere they state 28%-23%
• Dramatic reductions in BP risk
• Impressive results for a small company – impressive investment ($400K)
• “Gung ho” wellness culture
• Drop in healthcare costs from 2006 to 2007 by 9.7% seems dramatic – what else is going on?

F:

• Good support of community.
• Innovative safety procedures.
• Like emphasis on injury prevention and treatment.

G:

• This program started 5 years ago and has a 53% participation annually.  Families are included.  Above most others this company had the culture thing down.  Wellness is central to their business plan, wellness is included in leadership training, managers receive quarterly updates about their group’s participation and wage increases include a component based on performance against a wellness goal. There is even time for a 10 minute stretch break at the beginning of each shift. They are good members of their community; they manage environmental impact (the green team), hold blood drives and sponsor community bike races.
• The focus is on a safe work environment, wellness, and corporate culture.  Everyone is ranked on health status, wellness participation, tobacco use and safety.  Levels of rewards are bronze, silver gold and platinum depending on participation and results.  Individuals at platinum score level are invited on a 14er climb with executives and based on activity level everyone could get up to $160.
• Hcc are down 9.7%, lifestyle claims down 17%, and tobacco use down 27%. 

H:

• Tobacco free campus.
• Mandatory, quarterly health screenings are unusual but seem to be effective.
• Community involvement.
• Positive outcomes reported for programs in blood pressure control, flexibility, and body fat percentage reductions.
• Positive results reported in every year of the 2005-2007 program.

I:

• Mandatory screenings and coaching
• management involvement
• safety
• community
• Program is part of corporate culture
• stretching and safety part of wellness
• Broad appeal.