If there is a silver lining to be found in the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, it may be the increased attention employers are placing on the need to protect and promote employee health and well-being. Although the current pandemic has been a wake-up call for some employers, others have long realized that investing in workplace health promotion and wellness programs can help organizations weather health challenges and achieve sustainable business results.
For more than a quarter century, a non-profit known as The Health Project has been awarding annual prizes to organizations with proven health improvement programs through its prestigious C. Everett Koop National Health Award. Today, The Health Project announced Quest Diagnostics as its 2020 award winner.
Now in its 15th year, Quest Diagnostics' health and well-being program, HealthyQuest, empowers the company's nearly 47,000 employees and their families with tools and resources to improve their health and well-being. Under the banner of "Health In Your Hands," Quest has measurably improved health outcomes and bent the health care cost curve over time.
The program has saved the company an estimated $40 million over 4 years in health care costs and achieved measurable improvements in biometric lab values (cholesterol, blood pressure, triglycerides, body weight) all of which reduce the risk for diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
At the same time, the company has maintained positive employee engagement (80+% satisfaction) while keeping contributions to insurance premiums flat over three years. Quest Diagnostics' senior leaders are committed to the vision of fostering a healthier world.
"The C. Everett Koop Award recognizes organizations that are actively working toward a healthy and sustainable future with comprehensive, evidence-based programs designed to improve the health and well-being of their entire employee population," said Ron Goetzel, PhD, President and CEO of The Health Project. "The Health Project is honored to add Quest Diagnostics to our list of award-winning organizations with exemplary health promotion programs that have produced significant, proven results for employers, communities and the nation."
Because of the rigorous standards required for documenting health improvements and cost savings, fewer than 70 organizations have been honored with this prestigious award since the organization was established, with the late Dr. C. Everett Koop, the former Surgeon General of the United States, as its honorary chairperson.
In addition to the 2020 award winner, The MetroHealth System, Metro Nashville Public Schools, Norton Healthcare and Union Bank & Trust received honorable mention recognition. The awards will be presented on September 29, 2020 at the annual Health Enhancement Research Organization (HERO) Forum, which is taking place virtually this year, due to the pandemic. More information about the C. Everett Koop National Health Award and award-winning health promotion programs is available at http://thehealthproject.com.
The Health Project, Inc. (The Health Project, "THP"), is a tax-exempt not-for-profit corporation formed to bring about critical attitudinal and behavioral changes in addressing the health and well-being of Americans. THP's mission is to seek out, evaluate, promote and disseminate the lessons learned from exemplary health promotion and disease prevention programs with demonstrated effectiveness in improving employee population health and related business outcomes. The C. Everett Koop National Health Awards are given each year to worksite, community or provider programs that are well-integrated into the organization's infrastructure and have yielded significant improvement in population health and noteworthy business results.
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