WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue University is offering Indiana employers a program designed to train their employees in efficient use of the healthcare system.
Healthy Workforce is a component of the Healthcare Technical Assistance Program and incorporates expertise from Purdue’s School of Nursing, School of Health Sciences, and Department of Health and Kinesiology.
The program is open to all Indiana companies regardless of size and is available through package offerings or ala carte services. Fees are based on the number of employees and the specific components a company chooses to offer.
In a year-long pilot program that ended last spring, more than 1,000 employees at 14 Indiana companies received Healthy Workforce training. Initial results indicate a reduction in unnecessary emergency room visits, and increases in generic drug utilization and in knowledge about wellness and self-care topics.
“They learned how to make wise use of the health-care system,” said Allison Bryan, Healthy Workforce project manager. “Our goal is to make employees more proactive in healthcare decisions, including self care.”
Healthy Workforce aims at containing health-related costs, reducing absenteeism, increasing productivity and employee morale, and improving overall employee health and well-being.
Companies benefit when their employees are using health care services efficiently, Bryan said. “There are some tools that have proven to hold steady or even reduce the premiums that companies pay to provide health insurance to their employees. We can share these tools — such as when to use urgent care rather than an emergency room — through Healthy Workforce.”
The program is customized to fit each company, Bryan said. Basic components include a thorough assessment, recommendations and on-site training modules available in English and Spanish.
More information on Healthy Workforce is available at www.purdue.edu/htap/healthyworkforce or by contacting Bryan at 765-496-9791.
