Wellness Programs Must Fulfill Specific Long-Term Business Strategies

Interview with: Heather Provino, Chief Executive Officer, Provant Health Solutions

Las Vegas, NV, September 7, 2010 - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Organizations need tailored employee health and wellness programs to ensure that the business strategy is taken into account, according to Heather Provino, Chief Executive Officer at Provant Health Solutions. From a solution provider company at the marcus evans Corporate Benefits Summit 2011, taking place in Las Vegas, January 23-25, Provino stresses an effective wellness program must be comprehensive, have the support of company leadership, clear measures of success and, most importantly, must be designed to fulfill an organization’s specific growth plan.

What is the value of wellness as a core business strategy, and what incentive programs would you recommend?

Heather Provino: The value of wellnessas a core business strategy for companies is found in increased return on investment from increased productivity, decreased absenteeism and decreased effects of presenteeism. Additionally, medical costs for the organization fall as the health risks within the employee population decrease, which supports an organization’s health care affordability agenda.

With the new health care reform, many organizations are moving to a health standard based incentive program, where employers are linking their program to their benefit design. This is encouraging healthy behaviors and outcomes, ultimately impacting the company’s bottom line and yielding immediate net savings.

The legislation is extremely long and cumbersome, therefore it is important to work with an organization that has intimate knowledge of the healthcare reform, how it impacts health and wellnessprograms and benefit design. Organizations need to ensure they are compliant with the new legislation and that they maximize their benefit design.

What is the best way of aligning the wellness strategy with the core business goals?

Heather Provino: Before determining the ideal program, an organization should look at its entire business strategy and see how wellness can enhance the success of the strategy. We do not believe that a company should continue to invest in wellness as a solution unless it is helping the business accomplish its core goals and ultimately contribute to the bottom line.

We recommend tailored solutions to ensure that the business strategy is taken into account, whether that is an increase in productivity, revenue per head or controlling medical trend cost. The wellness program should actually contribute in a hard dollar business way. Typically, wellness programs have been very cookie-cutter, one solution fits all; in fact it is not a one-size-fits-all solution. The solution must fit the company’s exact needs, which is considered a refreshing approach in the industry today.

What do employees value most in wellness programs?

Heather Provino: Employees are finding wellness programs extremely beneficial. They spend the majority of their time at work; more time than they do at home with their families. Bringing health awareness and activities to the work site where they can participate without having to take time out of work is a huge benefit for them. They are getting information about their health that they normally might not take the time to seek. Wellness has become a first line of defense in identifying and mitigating health risks, and is incenting employees based on their health choices. I think these are two primary benefits for employees in the work site: time and the benefit of good health.

What long-term strategies would you recommend to corporate benefits directors?

Heather Provino: I cannot emphasize enough the importance of a comprehensive wellness solution; it needs to be designed and developed for long-term outcomes and success metrics. That means there has to be a strategic planning session in the development of the wellness program so that it fits into the business strategy of the organization as a whole but also has clear outcome measurements and success metrics to follow and ensure that the program is delivering on those metrics.

The solution should not be warm and fuzzy or a feel good solution. It really needs to have an eye for the ultimate impact that the company is looking to make on its benefit design, productivity, absenteeism, etc., and designed in such a way that it will mitigate risks for the long term.

It is absolutely imperative that an organization has top down support for its wellness strategy. Much like when setting a strategic business plan, it all comes from the top. If wellness is not seen as a core business strategy, the participation in the program and the actual outcomes will suffer.

Contact: Sarin Kouyoumdjian-Gurunlian, Press Manager, marcus evans, Summits Division

Tel: + 357 22 849 313

Email:press@marcusevanscy.com

Aboutthe Corporate Benefits Summit 2011

This unique forum will take place at the Red Rock Casino Resort & Spa, Las Vegas, Nevada, January 23-25, 2011. Offering much more than any conference, exhibition or trade show, this exclusive meeting will bring together esteemed industry thought leaders and solution providers to a highly focused and interactive networking event. The summit includes presentations on the healthcare reform, maintaining successful wellness programs, and building benefit plans to drive business goals.

For more information please send an email toinfo@marcusevanscy.com or visit the event website athttp://www.corporatebenefitssummit.com/HeatherProvinoInterview

Please note that the summit is a closed business event and the number of participants strictly limited.

About marcus evans Summits

marcus evans Summits are high level business forums for the world’s leading decision-makers to meet, learn and discuss strategies and solutions. Held at exclusive locations around the world, these events provide attendees with a unique opportunity to individually tailor their schedules of keynote presentations, think tanks, seminars and one-on-one business meetings. For more information, please visit http://www.marcusevans.com

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