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Wellness Programs

HealthLeaders magazine, November 13, 2008

Chronic diseases contribute to rising healthcare costs, falling productivity, and work force shortages amid an aging population. Yet many of the health risks associated with chronic disease?from obesity to smoking to a lack of exercise?are at least partially preventable. With the importance of controlling health risks becoming ever more evident, effective wellness programs are growing more crucial for healthcare organizations and employers alike. Although the return on investment varies from organization to organization, wellness initiatives have demonstrated consistently favorable returns, including a reduction in sick leave absenteeism, a reduction in workers? compensation and disability management claims costs, and a median return on investment of roughly 3-to-1, meaning that employers save approximately $3 for every $1 spent on wellness programs, according to research from Thomson Reuters.