SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 15, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Saint Luke's Health System was honored with the 2012 Healthy Workforce Productivity Award by the Integrated Benefits Institute (IBI) and the National Business Coalition on Health (NBCH) at their annual Health & Productivity Forum. The award recognizes leadership in the area of health and productivity and honors an employer that has worked with its employees to develop, implement and measure an innovative health and productivity initiative.

"We are honored by this peer recognition of our programs to improve the health of our employees – our greatest asset," said Dawn Murphy, senior vice president, Human Resources, Saint Luke's Health System, a not-for-profit health system in Kansas City. "Since 2003 we've focused on engaging employees in managing their physical, spiritual, and emotional health. Our efforts include strategies to increase employee satisfaction, improve employee health status, stabilize medical costs, identify needs and focus health care resources effectively, and promote the concept of an employee 'medical home.'"

In 2009, Saint Luke's restructured its health and wellness program to better engage employees with their primary care physicians. Saint Luke's eliminated on-site screenings and provided incentives to encourage employees to see their primary care physician for screening based on national preventive guidelines and for individualized counseling. A Wellness Advisory Team, including front-line employees, suggests improvements after reviewing communications, data and strategies.

Saint Luke's focused on reducing metabolic risks (waist circumference, triglycerides, cholesterol, blood pressure and blood glucose) and providing preventive care after identifying higher than industry average employee blood pressure and cholesterol levels and a lower number receiving preventive care. In addition, Saint Luke's redesigned its benefits plan to offer medications for diabetes and high cholesterol at no charge to employees that were engaged in a disease management program. They also removed financial barriers to preventive exams.

Looking at its diabetes management program alone, Saint Luke's ascribes average medical and drug savings of $7,787 per participant over non-participants in 2010 as compared to 2009, before the program was implemented. Saint Luke's also tracks absence and presenteeism for its targeted conditions, a feature important to receiving the award.

"We are pleased to highlight the efforts of Saint Luke's Health System as an excellent example of an employer committed to investing and promoting in the health and productivity of their workforce," said Andrew Webber, NBCH president and CEO. "By sharing these best practices we hope to help other employers develop these types of programs to remain competitive in today's economic climate."

IBI President Thomas Parry noted, "Employers can effectively increase the value of investments in health and productivity when they start with a clear vision and goals, comprehensive and well-designed strategies, clearly articulated metrics for evaluating effectiveness and a structured approach to performance improvement. We've recognized Saint Luke's for engaging their C-suite and employees in developing their health strategy and making the business case for senior leadership."

The award is sponsored by Johnson & Johnson Health Care Systems. Saint Luke's was nominated by the Mid-America Coalition on Health Care (MACHC), a Kansas City-based business and health coalition, and was selected by an independent panel of judges. Saint Luke's was one of 16 employers participating in Kansas City Collaborative, a health strategy initiative sponsored by MACHC, NBCH and Pfizer Inc.

About the Integrated Benefits Institute
The Integrated Benefits Institute (IBI) provides employers and their supplier partners with resources for demonstrating the business value of health. As a pioneer, leader and nonprofit supplier of health and productivity research, measurement and benchmarking, IBI is a trusted source for benefits performance analysis, research-based approaches, and forums for information and education. IBI's programs, resources and expert member networks advance understanding about the link between – and the impact of – health-related productivity on corporate America's bottom line. For additional information visit: ibiweb.org.

About the National Business Coalition on Health
NBCH is a national, nonprofit, membership organization of purchaser-led business and health coalitions, representing over 7,000 employers and 25 million employees and their dependents across the United States. NBCH and its members are dedicated to value-based purchasing of health care services through the collective action of public and private purchasers. For additional information visit: www.nbch.org.

SOURCE Integrated Benefits Institute and National Business Coalition on Health

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