Health insurance costs.

Rising costs of health care can be attributed to emergencies, chronic diseases, new drugs, pharmaceutical costs, rising inpatient hospital costs, the aging of America and rapid advances in technology. But can wellness programs – educating employees about prevention of disease and conditions and providing tools to assist them – help to control some of these costs?

The answer may rest with employers. Wellness programs often help prevent employees from getting sick, missing work, and experiencing job-related stress. For example, Duke University in Durham, N.C. provides an effective wellness program for its employees. It gives them access to the university’s athletic facilities, the opportunity to meet one-on-one with personal trainers and wellness counselors, and allows them to participate in online weight management and stress reduction programs.

And at the Denver Center for Crime Victims, employees are required to create annual self-care plans, which outline a series of steps they will take to improve their physical, emotional, spiritual and intellectual well-being. As a result, the company has saved money through discounts on workers compensation insurance, hired fewer workers to cover staff absenteeism and cut down on recruiting and hiring costs.

Other popular wellness programs include injury prevention, smoking cessation, stress management, back care, nutrition, high blood pressure, AIDS education, cholesterol education, weight control, medical self-care, and prenatal education.

Successful organizations view their wellness programs as important cost-savings mechanisms and a valuable benefit for their employees. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, studies find that large and small organizations can expect a good return on their wellness program investments. They can reduce sick leave, work-related accidents, and lost time, while simultaneously helping employees to exercise, eat better, and manage their personal issues.