Digital Health and Employee Wellness

Chris Freitas • Oct 22, 2021
Digital Health and Employee Wellness

Digital health innovations are transforming the way people access healthcare services – so it’s only fitting that employers are increasingly turning to digital health to increase employee awareness and engagement with their health benefits. In fact, according to a recent survey , 68% of employers plan to invest more in digital solutions over the next five years. It’s a change that’s likely to excite many employees – 49% of employees surveyed said they’d be more likely to use a digital health solution if their employer offered it.

 

WHAT IS DIGITAL HEALTH AND HOW DOES IT IMPACT EMPLOYEE HEALTH?

 

Digital health describes the area of healthcare that deploys technology to offer and expand traditional healthcare options. Digital health options are designed to reach users from all over the world at any time – providing employees the ability to access their needed medical services directly from their computer, phone, or mobile device.

 

The pandemic, of course, naturally accelerated some of the interest in digital health solutions. Employees are already used to online services and virtual meetings. During this time of digital transformation, these health solutions are poised to deliver a slicker, more tech-friendly, and convenient way to improve their overall health and well-being.

 

Organizations, in turn, can benefit from the boost to employee wellness, which in turn positively impacts productivity, morale, and retention.


Here are the latest digital innovations that companies can use to impact employee wellness in the office and beyond.


1. MENTAL HEALTH AND WELL-BEING

 

The pandemic’s fallout has created a mental health crisis. As a result, many digital health solutions aim to provide a convenient, anonymous, and stigma-free way for employees to access mental health services. A survey by the non-profit Business Group on Health found that 88% of surveyed employers plan to provide access to online mental health support resources such as apps, videos, and articles.

 

Currently, around 20,000 health apps available through Apple and Android operating systems address mental health in some capacity, according to the European Connected Health Alliance. Some of these mental health platforms are designed to work specifically with employers and health benefit plans.

 

Possible examples of these mental health support services include:


Providing access to cognitive-behavioral therapy over video and apps for anxiety and depression

 

Wearables and digital biomarker apps that allow employees to report their mood or track their heart rate, skin temperature, and electrodermal activity to better understand their well-being

 

Apps that offer meditation, reflection, gratitude practice, and gamified exercises to deal with stress, sleep, and increasing focus

 

Subscriptions to online yoga classes

 

When it comes to digital mental health solutions, it’s important to consider how to introduce this benefit to employees for maximum value. For instance, you might want to let employees know how to access it, but assure them that any information they share using the virtual services or apps will be kept confidential.

 

2. TELEHEALTH

 

Telehealth use skyrocketed during the pandemic. Last year, 47% of employees said they used virtual health services, according to a survey from Willis Towers Watson. The convenience and ease of scheduling makes telehealth an attractive option for employers investing in digital health solutions.

 

Telehealth services can occur with a phone, mobile device, or desktop computer and can provide all of the necessary medical, follow-up, prescription, and urgent care services.

 

If you’re looking to expand employees’ usage of telehealth services, be sure to explain the benefits of visiting the doctor remotely. Give them an overview of what conditions telehealth is best suited to treat and which conditions they should seek in-person treatment. Your organization’s educational materials on telehealth should also communicate the steps employees should take if, for instance, they sustain a workplace injury or fall ill during the workday. It should also address the technology required for video visits and whether employees need to consult with their managers if scheduling a telehealth appointment during the workday.

 

Sometimes employees can be reluctant to embrace telehealth if they haven’t explored the option before. They might not be able to see their own doctors using the telehealth apps currently available. When creating or expanding your health plan’s telehealth benefits, confirm that the service providers will offer regular healthcare providers so employees will feel comfortable.

 
3. WEARABLES AND HEALTH TRACKING APPS

Wearable technology, such as Fitbit and Apple, can help employees manage their health and wellness by tracking steps, calories burned, heart rate, and sleep patterns. Whether companies provide the technology or reimburse employees for the purchase, these wearable devices offer an easy way for employees to increase their overall fitness and activity levels. Most devices will send a reminder to get moving when the user has been sitting for too long. Other devices offer add-on options, such as a notification if employees are risking their physical safety with poor posture or unsafe lifting practices.


Wearables also provide an opportunity to create wellness-related incentives and contests, such as steps challenges.


The data from wearables can be easy to track to monitor engagement levels and determine which features tend to be the most popular and widely used.


Health tracking apps are in abundant supply on both Apple and Android devices, in both subscription and free options. Major insurance providers such as Aetna also offer their own version of health tracking apps, allowing employees to upload their activities, receive pointers on nutrition, sleep, and mindfulness habits.


4. PREVENTATIVE DIGITAL WELLNESS


Prevention of serious illnesses and injuries continues to be a major focus of any employee wellness program. To that end, digital health apps and technologies aim to increase employee usage of preventative services. For instance, certain apps may track blood pressure, lipids, glucose, or weight, which can be helpful for employees with cardiovascular disease and high blood pressure. When these data points reach a concerning number, the app may direct the user to seek medical attention.


Sometimes these preventative apps are already available through current employee benefits plans. Major insurance provider Cigna, for instance, has rolled out a Digital Diabetes Program, a coaching and lifestyle program that’s tied with technology to track participants and keep them accountable.

When employees use preventative digital tools like these to manage their health, it can help them stay ahead of health issues and monitor ongoing conditions – and if they end up requiring medical care, the apps can help catch it at an earlier stage.


5. VIRTUAL REALITY APPLICATIONS


Using virtual reality (VR) is another recent innovation in the digital health space. VR uses a computer-generated 3-D environment to engage people in an immersive experience. VR apps can be used in multiple ways. Some companies use VR apps to help curb employees’ cravings in tobacco cessation programs. Others have invested in a VR meditation app as a form of stress relief. Taking it a step further, an organization in London called the Octopus Group created its own “mindfulness pod,” where employees can put on their VR headsets while tucked in a private room and instantly be transported to a serene setting with guided meditation.


VR’s appeal to employers lies in its multipurpose nature. Because VR headsets allow you to access a plentiful supply of apps, employees can take a flexible approach and determine which area suits their needs best.


6. CHATBOTS

Organizations are turning to chatbots to provide on-demand experiences and instant answers for employees, which in turn frees up valuable time for departments like HR and benefits. When it comes to health and wellness, chatbots can make it simple for employees to get quick recommendations and answers on common health questions – which can end up saving them the expense and time of visiting the doctor or hospital. It’s also a good way to keep employees from consulting Google for health-related questions, which can lead to misdiagnosis.


Buoy, for instance, is a chatbot that allows employees to ask questions about their symptoms and get care recommendations. Buoy’s use of artificial intelligence allows it to consider the individual’s unique health situation to offer personalized recommendations.


7. WELLNESS PORTALS



Online wellness portals offer a one-stop-shop for employees to track their activities, participate in online classes, take health-risk assessments, and schedule medical appointments. Because wellness portals cover elements of both physical and mental health, they can be a convenient way for employees to manage all aspects of their health in one place.


Wellness portals also come equipped with a safe and secure way to manage employees’ electronic health records so that employees can manage their own health records.

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EMBRACING DIGITAL HEALTH


Whether you’re considering digital health offerings for the first time or expanding your current program, you may be wondering which areas to target first. A good starting point is to think about which health issues are most common among your employees, cause the highest claims or lead to the most problems with absenteeism or productivity. Survey your employees and ask which tools would be most helpful to their wellness journeys. Focus on solutions that are convenient, easy to use, and accessible – which will encourage employees, even those that may be reluctant to embrace new technology, to participate.


When you’re ready to take the next step to develop your digital health program, give us a call to learn more about how we can help your organization enhance its wellness benefits with today’s most innovative and tech-friendly benefits. With our industry experience, we can help you design a strategy to promote your digital health programs and track their ongoing performance.


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