< Back to What's New Archive September 16, 2009 Featured Topic: Worksite Wellness Despite rising health care costs, employee health is worsening. This combination of factors threatens corporate viability and the sustainability of the American health care system. As the largest provider of health care coverage, employers offer the potential to exert transformative leadership, according to the U.S. Workplace Wellness Alliance. The featured innovations describe a variety of employer-initiated programs designed to improve employee health and reduce health care costs.  The featured QualityTools provide practical resources to assess and promote employee health. < Previous Issue | Next Issue > Innovation Profiles: -  Alerts, Standing Orders, and Care Pathways Boost Quality of Care for Pneumonia, Heart Attack, and Heart Failure -  Comprehensive Program Focused on Culture Change, Education and Training, and Solicitation of Employee Ideas Significantly Reduces Incidence of Common Hospital-Acquired Infection -  Encouraging Solicitation and Supporting Implementation of Employee-Generated Ideas Leads to Significant Reduction in Incidence of Common Hospital-Acquired Infection -  Evidence-Based Bundle for Adults Is Adapted by Pediatric Intensive Care Units, Reducing Ventilator-Acquired Pneumonia and Lowering Costs -  Hospital-Based Program Proactively Identifies, Addresses Delirium Risk Factors in Elderly, Leading to Less Cognitive/Functional Decline and Lower Nursing Home Costs -  Onsite Nurses Work With Primary Care Physicians to Manage Care Across Settings, Resulting in Improved Patient Satisfaction and Lower Utilization and Costs for Chronically Ill Seniors -  Residency Program for First-Year Nurses Eases Entry Into Profession, Producing Well-Above Average Retention Rates - Conveniently Located “Napping Rooms” Provide Opportunity for Night- and Extended-Shift Providers to Rest, Leading to Less Fatigue and Better Performance - Diabetes Educators Provide Counseling at Worksites, Leading to Enhanced Knowledge, Improved Outcomes, and Reduced Absenteeism - Pharmacist Coaches Lower Copayments, Improve Outcomes, and Reduce Costs for Employees With Diabetes - Worksite Program Focused on Goal Setting, Additional Support Significantly Increases Level of Physical Activity Among Employees QualityTools: - California Fit Business Kit - Diabetes Cost Calculator for Employers - Diabetesatwork.org - Investing in Health: Evidence-Based Health Promotion Practices for the Workplace - Smoke-Free Policies: Establishing a Smoke-Free Ordinance to Reduce Exposure to Secondhand Smoke in Indoor Worksites and Public Places—An Action Guide - Worksite Wellness Toolkit < Previous Issue | Next Issue > Last updated: September 16, 2009.

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