Dr Katie Tryon: Why health at work is about more than just wellbeing

With the UK health burden still growing, simply encouraging employees people to eat better or reminding them they need to exercise is only going to go so far.

We know making healthy choices is not easy and sustainable behaviour change is hard, but our data helps prove that it is not impossible.

It starts with lifestyle

With 88% of the preventable disease burden in the UK down to modifiable risks, such as lack of exercise or poor nutrition[1], any commitment to preventative healthcare must start with lifestyle factors.

Most of us know we need to eat better or do more exercise, but our habits and behavioural biases can hold us back, so it’s important we do more to help people lead healthier lives and make it stick.

By offering a programme built around an intelligent combination of nudges and incentives, organisations can initiate genuine behaviour change within workplaces, and, in our data, we’re seeing this approach really pay off.

After one year, our data shows Vitality members record a 27% reduction in their consumption of fatty food and a 22% increase in physical activity. Almost 90% of members who engage reach the recommended weekly exercise guidelines, compared to 61% of the population[2].

All this leads to a decreased risk of hospitalisation for our most active members. Furthermore, analysis of VitalityHealth claims between 2017 and 2021 showed up to 46% lower claims costs for highly engaged members across major claims categories.

Prevention and early intervention

Early intervention and the clinical side of employer-led health cover is also key when it comes to prevention.

This is less about preventing the onset of disease, but more about identifying and treating illness as early as possible.

When it comes to lifestyle health factors, annual health MOT checks can give employees a clearer picture of their health and any areas that may need improvement.

More in-depth health screenings that check a wider range of health markers are also valuable, especially at a time when access to primary care is limited. They can even be lifesaving.

At a clinical level, screening for specific conditions like cancer is also important for disease management and identification.

This is an area where private health insurance can provide powerful, evidence-based services to employees, increasingly utilising technology to improve access and drive down costs.

Its why Vitality launched a online Cancer Risk Assessment pathway for members. This sits alongside a range of existing services such as Skin Analytics, who Vitality have partnered with since 2015 to aid skin cancer detection.

Effective early intervention for mental health conditions can also offer appropriate treatment at a much earlier stage.

Treatment, care and rehabilitation

When an employee is diagnosed with an illness or is undergoing treatment, we can also support them to live in a way that affords them the best chance of survival and to help prevent reoccurrence.

For illnesses such as heart disease, cancer or diabetes, it’s important that as well as treating the condition, we address an employee’s overall health and wellbeing holistically.

Aside from reducing the likelihood of a claim arising in the first place, the individual being in good health will also have a significant impact on the chances of a successful outcome.

One example would be our partnership with AlvieHealth, through which we support cancer patients to be in the best possible health, through fitness and wellbeing support, whilst living with and undergoing treatment for their condition.

Personalising prevention

It’s also vital we don’t simply offer a one-size-fits-all approach, when it comes to supporting an individual’s lifestyle: personalisation is key.

For example, using the data from a member’s annual Health Review drives our ‘Next Best Action’ initiative. By taking a more targeted approach based on an individual’s situation, we offer a tailored approach to tackle risks such as diabetes, obesity or smoking.

By empowering people to better understand their own health, we can drive significant improvements. Of those members enrolled a ‘Next Best Action’ programme, almost half lost at least 4% of their body weight, 10% reversed their diabetes and 47% quit smoking².

This is about recognising the impact that a preventative based approach can have both on an individual, the health of an organisation and our nation as a whole.

A fully preventative and personalised approach to healthcare - before, during and after claim – that actually drives positive behaviour change ultimately can help employees stay well and more productive for longer, helping to drive down absenteeism as well as presenteeism, at a time when this is needed more so than ever.

A version of this article originally appeared of VitalityAdviser Insights Hub