Articles

Community centers play a vital role in the health and well-being of local residents. Through their physical spaces and engaging programming, community centers connect seniors, empower local youth, promote healthy lifestyles and strengthen community bonds. These social connections can foster stronger, safer and more inclusive communities, while services and programs can advance individual and community-level health and wellness initiatives. Achieving positive outcomes hinges on community center performance; leading us to ask: does your community center measure any Key Performance Indicators a.k.a. KPIs? These are the measurable values that indicate how effectively your organization is performing in terms of engagement, financial success, member loyalty and more. KPIs can give your community center data that can be used when setting engagement goals, devising strategies to reach targets and tracking progress. Here we look at the three must-know KPIs community centers should be measuring – and using – to elevate member experiences and improve health and wellness outcomes. No. 1 Member Dropout Rate It’s estimated that in 2021 some 66.5 million Americans ages six and older, or 1 in 5 people, were members of a health club or fitness studio, according to IHRSA’s (The Global Health & Fitness Association) annual Health Club Consumer Report. Yet, the report found that most health and wellness centers lose 50% of new memberships within the first six months. A community center’s member dropout rate is among the best indicators of the effectiveness of its engagement. By measuring how many members opted out of renewals or dropped out

Today, more than half of the U.S. adult population has at least one chronic health condition, and upward of 40% have multiple. These chronic diseases – heart disease, diabetes, cancer, stroke and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease included – are the nation’s leading causes of death, disability and healthcare costs. In fact, some 90% of the nation’s $4.1 trillion in annual healthcare expenditures are spent on treating chronic and mental health conditions. The complexities and expenses associated with chronic diseases make their prevention and treatment burdensome; plus, the challenges are being compounded. Facing the rising prevalence of chronic diseases, an aging population and worsening shortage of primary care physicians, the treatment and prevention pathways of chronic diseases are on track to get even worse. It’s clear: the way our healthcare system has long treated chronic diseases, with occasional check-ins and at-home management, isn’t enough. Why? The problem of adherence to at-home chronic disease management remains unsolved. But technology offers a remedy. Here we explore 3 ways primary care and lifestyle medicine providers can utilize digital wellness solutions to help patients stay on track after, and in between, their in-person appointments. No. 1 : Establish regular connections The current management model for chronic health conditions is failing patients. Today, patients schedule appointments, undergo testing and receive diagnoses, treatment plans and medicine. Often, patients are then left to their own devices. Providers can do better. Utilizing a digital wellness solution, providers can fill in the gaps between appointments to check in on patients

The health of our nation is at a critical level. Today, it’s estimated 6 in 10 American adults have a chronic disease, with 40% of adults having two or more such diseases, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. With the prevalence of heart disease, diabetes, cancer, obesity and other chronic illnesses, lifestyle medicine is needed now more  than ever. With the potential to prevent, and reverse, chronic diseases, lifestyle medicine providers can effectively drive change to help individuals add years to their lives. And yet, barriers to positive outcomes exist – predominantly where patient engagement is concerned. How can providers keep patients engaged after their appointments and throughout their journey to better health? Personalized care with the help of the right technology. Here we look at how digital wellness tools equipped with automation technology can help lifestyle medicine providers see benefits in their practices and patient populations. Increased motivation for lasting lifestyle changes Often, individuals are highly motivated to make critical lifestyle changes when they, or a family member, are diagnosed with a chronic illness or present risk indicators of disease. This a-ha moment is the first step in helping individuals improve their health and well-being. With digital wellness technology, lifestyle medicine providers can capitalize on these moments of realization and early motivation to engage patients with vital educational offerings to better understand health issues. Providers can now easily launch personalized online courses, with on-demand content, videos and articles, to educate and engage patients throughout every stage

Technology, such as digital wellness programs, is helping to reshape the health and wellness industry, enabling providers to deliver personalized care at scale that’s accessible when, where, and how participants prefer. It’s helping providers work smarter, not harder, to streamline programs and deliver engaging, personalized care and content that drives results. Leveraging technology and automation, for everything from program enrollment, content, reminders, and surveys, health and wellness providers can communicate with participants and keep them engaged along every step of their health and wellness journey. Here we explore the automations that can increase the performance of health and wellness programs: No. 1: Automating your onboarding process We think it’s safe to say no one wants to be bogged down in paperwork – even if it’s digital. Providers can eliminate clunky onboarding processes with the help of digital wellness solutions. How? Automation. By automating their onboarding, providers give program participants the freedom to fill out intake forms and answer questionnaires at their own pace and convenience. This gives providers the opportunity to ask more in-depth questions and gain insights into the lifestyle choices, preferences and goals of program participants. With a deeper understanding of how participants think, act, learn, and communicate at the start of their health and wellness journeys, providers can quickly launch personalized content and care. That’s essential in the health and wellness sector, where providers need to seize the opportunity to engage participants when they are most enthusiastic about enacting change. It begins with creating an easy onboarding

Struggling with digital wellness engagement? Here are five tips. Time to read: 5 minutes By Clark Lagemann Wellness programs and health coaching can only make a difference if the participants are engaged. In today’s world with unlimited options for entertainment and fitness, it can be a challenge to keep program participants engaged. Personalization of the coaching experience, customized content, and streamlined onboarding are all key to improving program retention, but each of those aspects can be challenging to implement at scale. In his latest article for HR.com, Clark Lagemann, CEO of Avidon Health shares his top tips to for improving digital wellness engagement. Read his article “Overcoming The Five Biggest Hurdles To Digital Wellness Engagement” to learn more. You can also view the complete issue of “Human Experience Excellence: Engagement Performance, Rewards and Recognition” from HR.com in an interactive magazine here or download a PDF here. Click here to read the full article.   For contributed media inquiries, contact: Kristin Hege kristin@conveycommsagency.com 480-540-6496

The increased demand for mental healthcare resources and what workers need, and how automation can help improve wellness program engagement. Time to read: 5 minutes By Clark Lagemann With individuals spending much of their adult lives in the workplace, employers have a responsibility to help ensure their employees thrive. This includes wellness initiatives to help reduce stress and improve mental health. In recent years, however, the hybrid workplace has presented challenges for traditional on-site wellness programs and new sources of burnout for employees. In an article for Spiceworks, Clark Lagemann, CEO of Avidon Health discusses the increased demand for mental healthcare resources and what workers need, and how automation can help improve wellness program engagement. Click here to read the full article.   For contributed media inquiries, contact: Kristin Hege kristin@conveycommsagency.com 480-540-6496

Here’s how companies can promote a healthy, productive workforce regardless of an employee’s physical location. Time to read: 3 minutes By Clark Lagemann The return to in-person work has employees stressed – in fact, according to a study by AP NORC, nearly 41% say the amount of stress they experience has gotten worse. Hybrid environments seem to be making the transition easier, but burnout and high attrition still remain a problem. Whether the factors contributing to employee stress are from work or home it affects employee productivity, attendance and ultimately their happiness. To address this issue, workplace wellness programs need to adapt to the hybrid setting and meet employees where they are – but many workplaces find this challenging to do at scale. In an article published by HR.com, Clark Lagemann, CEO of Avidon Health addresses how companies can take a new approach to wellbeing in the hybrid workplace. Click here to read the full article.   For contributed media inquiries, contact: Kristin Hege kristin@conveycommsagency.com 480-540-6496

Traditional on-site employee health and wellness programs create barriers to change. Here’s how to fix it. Remote and hybrid work models, at least in some industries, are here for good. Employers and workers now asking what comes next for workplace health and wellness offerings? For workplaces that have made the hybrid work model permanent, in-person fitness classes and employee wellness programs have often been eliminated as well. And while some employee programs moved into the virtual world, new barriers to health and wellness have been created. So, is there a way to overcome these newfound hurdles to better health? The short answer is yes. In this blog, we’ll explore the importance of maintaining health and wellness programs for remote and hybrid employees, and how they produce positive results for companies and individuals alike. Employer sponsored wellness programs can be a first line of defense With employees holding on to the new liberties offered by remote and hybrid work models, companies are turning to digital/hybrid wellness and coaching options aimed at helping individuals maintain healthy habits and make lasting, impactful lifestyle changes. Such programs can provide a critical lifeline for workers. An employee’s health and wellness can impact every aspect of their life, and not just the personal elements and their relationships. If an employee is struggling with inactivity, poor diet, stress, inadequate sleep, addictions, as well as any associated health risks such as depression and anxiety, their work, productivity, attendance and even company morale can be negatively impacted. In fact,

Digital coaching solutions can help employers make lasting changes in their workplaces and support employees dealing with substance use. Hopeless. It’s how many people feel when caught in the cycle of substance use. The struggle is weighty and ongoing as people’s brains have been trained to encourage them to keep using the substance. The cycle can often feel impossible to break. However, while difficult to achieve, lasting change can be made. One in seven people in the United States are projected to struggle with substance use disorder at some point in their lifetime, according to a report from the surgeon general. And, while 75% of people suffering from substance use disorder are part of the workforce, most employers are wholly unaware of their workers’ private struggles and the impacts such issues can have on all their employees and workplaces. So, what can employers do to help even when they don’t know employees are struggling? They can offer support and resources to employees and help break down barriers to treatment, giving workers an opportunity to make long-term change. Below, we explore the pandemic’s effect on substance use, the impact substance use has on workplaces and how employers can support their employees. Pandemic propels increased drug and alcohol use According to a recent survey, the pandemic has resulted in notable increases in workers’ substance use issues across all generations and industries. Some one-third of responding workers who reportedly struggle with substance use issues stated that their work has suffered more since the