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Over the past 10 years, there have been many efforts to identify best practices in worksite health promotion. This presentation will highlight results from a recent study on best practices in worksite health promotion, which used a pre-post design. The study's findings identify the program components that yield the highest participant engagement rates and the most dramatic reductions in population-level health risks. The Wachovia Corp., which uses many of the best practices, will profile a healthy weight program designed for individuals struggling with weight at all points along the continuum, from underweight to morbidly obese with comorbid conditions-including those who are preparing for, or have already had, weight loss surgery. Preliminary program outcomes will be shared.

Donna E. Shenoha, vice president & senior consultant, health & welfare, human resources, Wachovia Corp.
Paul E. Terry, PhD, president & chief operating officer, StayWell Health Management

Donna E. Shenoha is vice president and senior consultant of health and welfare for the human resources division of Wachovia Corp. She has more than 20 years experience in managed care administration, including oversight of health services, quality management, credentialing and regulatory compliance. Ms. Shenoha holds a bachelor's in economics.

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Paul E. Terry, PhD, is president and chief operating officer of StayWell Health Management, a leader in program development, research and operations in support of behavior change. Dr. Terry most recently served as president and chief executive officer of Park Nicollet Institute. He earned his doctorate from the University of Minnesota.

Although clinical guidelines support the screening and monitoring of weight in children and adults, there is insufficient data indicating that it is being done consistently. To foster improvement in the assessment and treatment of overweight and obesity, expert panels were convened to identify and prioritize metrics for evaluating obesity care. Building on a review of the literature, treatment algorithms and existing measures, the feasibility of nationally standardized performance measures was assessed. This session will describe the process of identifying performance measures and assessing feasibility, opportunities for improvement in obesity assessment and treatment and the levels of health care system accountability for improving care.

David Brumley, MD, MBA, medical director, health management, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts | Download Presentation Slides >>
Sarah L. Sampsel, MPH, research scientist, National Committee for Quality Assurance | Download Presentation Slides >>

David Brumley, MD, MBA, is medical director of health management at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts. He chairs the DMAA Quality Awards Committee. He previously served as senior medical director at Oxford Health Plans, with Medical Scientists Inc. and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Rhode Island.

Sarah L. Sampsel, MPH, is a research scientist at the National Committee for Quality Assurance. Her portfolio is focused on the following priority areas: obesity, cardiovascular risk, behavioral health, back pain and children's health. Ms. Sampsel has a bachelor's in health care administration and a master's in public health.

There is an expectation among purchasers that workplace wellness programs produce a positive return on investment. A variety of methodological and economic factors make calculations of the economic impact of such programs problematic. The presentation will describe one approach to assessing the return on investment of a program based on modeling the effects of risk factor changes on medical claims costs. The analysis was used to evaluate an obesity management program that provides telephonic counseling, educational resources and web-based tracking resources. The program addresses diet, exercise and stress management. Both the limitations and advantages of the evaluation approach will be discussed.

Craig F. Nelson, MS, DC, director, health services research, American Specialty Health

Craig F. Nelson, MS, DC, is director of health services research at American Specialty Health. He has published a wide range of scientific journals and is currently on the editorial board of the Journal of Manipulative and Physiologic Therapeutics. In 2001, Dr. Nelson completed a National Institutes of Health fellowship in health services research at the University of Minnesota.

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Why is disease management an important feature of "next generation"-scalable, multipartner, multilevel obesity prevention programs? The strengths and weaknesses of various obesity prevention models demonstrate why multipartner, multilevel programs are a critical future approach. This session will review current and past intervention models used to address the obesity epidemic, including individual-level and family-level behavioral interventions, school-based interventions, community-based interventions and policy and environmental changes. Learn about the key features, participants and findings associated with each of these models, along with strengths and limitations. Discover the ways in which disease management components can enhance program results, along with policy changes needed to ensure the success of next generation obesity prevention programs.

Andrea Humphrey Schmidt, MPH, is a doctoral student at the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine with Tulane University. She earned her master's of public health from Yale University and her bachelor's from Georgetown University. Schmidt has 10 years of consulting experience, including past positions as vice president of Kaiser Associates and director at FIND/SVP.

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This presentation will report the findings of a national survey of and education program for managed care decisionmakers and employee benefit managers regarding obesity management. A baseline survey examined current policies regarding obesity management, decisionmaker knowledge regarding obesity impact and treatment effectiveness, and attitudes toward expanding coverage in light of the obesity epidemic. After completing the baseline survey, participants viewed an interactive, Web-based training program regarding obesity management, which was followed by a second survey. The presentation will highlight the baseline and post-education survey findings and discuss implications for future efforts to design and implement obesity management policies and programs.

Neil Goldfarb, vice chair, research, Department of Health Policy, Jefferson Medical College

Neil Goldfarb is vice chair of research in the Department of Health Policy at Jefferson Medical College. He also is director of ambulatory care performance improvement for the University's clinical practices, and co-director of the College for Advanced Management of Health Benefits, a value-based purchasing training program for employee benefit managers.

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