Canadian HR Reporter

CANADIAN HR REPORTER July 11, 2016 NEWS 17 to make healthy living easy, she said. That can mean providing flexible arrangements and access to healthy foods. Sixty-four per cent of plan members with chronic diseases said they want more support, yet many employers don't provide the kind of support that's helpful. is can include providing more choice when it comes to services, such as certified diabetes educa- tors or respiratory therapists who can talk about medications, self- care and self-management, said Nicol. "Historical benefit plans have not typically included that pro- vider type and that's where we've been working on incorporating additional provider types to allow that shift to occur where the indi- vidual can choose where to go for what they need when they need it," she said. "e key really is the flexibility, the access to services, and then al- lowing people to make choices so they can take action." However, EAP programs are of- ten underutilized, said Dinh. "Having a dietitian isn't a bad idea or a nutritionist but if em- ployees don't know that's part of their plan or they aren't reminded 'is is part of your plan, this is how it's beneficial to you,' then you run the risk of that not being used; at the same time, maybe it doesn't mean much to the insurer because that means they're not paying out for that particular service. But it's nice to track that. I mean, we could look at (whether) that does integrate that into their plan and see what the uptake is like. Is it good or is it still status quo?" e desire for choice is grow- ing, and it makes sense with all the generations in the workplace, with different needs and expectations, said Mark. "What employees need or ex- pect now continues to change, so…We need to take a step back and look at 'Are we offering the most relevant (benefits)?'" One of the biggest challenges is adherence as many employees with "invisible" conditions such as cholesterol or high blood pres- sure may be reluctant or remiss in sticking to their treatment plan. "It's really important for some- one to understand what the real risks to (them) are, what are the implications if you do or don't do this," said Mark. There are programs where pharmacies send people notices when it's time to renew, and ad- ditional information from a health coach, be it in-person, telephonic or digital, and that can help, she said. "at may be a way from a pre- vention standpoint until they get into a good routine — it could send them a nudge." It's very difficult for an employ- er to know if someone is com- pliant or not on their drugs, but pharmacists know, said Dinh. "Compliance is huge because that really feeds into the effec- tivenesss of your drug, and if your drug is not effective for you, you're paying for something that you're not getting the benefit of… you're not getting your full value from the employer and the health-care system." Boosting communication to workers would definitely help, she said. "Even just to say, 'Do you know that this many prescriptions go unfilled? Do you know that only 80 per cent of Canadians are fully compliant with their medication, and this results in…' ose kinds of communications: 'What does it mean for you if you aren't staying on your drugs? Your health may not be managed.' at could work and it's relatively low-cost." Fifty-eight per cent of plan members would consent to re- ceive health-related information — based on their own use of bene- fits — from insurance companies, found the Sanofi survey. "It is about being specific and if someone does fill a prescription, for example, for a certain type of medication, say it's their first asth- ma-related meds or Type 2 diabe- tes meds, to be open to receiving some targeted communication around that is great to see. And. again, how they manage that and access that information will be up to the individual, but the opportu- nity to make the connection at the time when it's needed is the key, in our view — it's got to be timely and it's got to be meaningful," said Nicol. "An employer needs to create the opportunity for an individual to have that dialogue, because health is personal, so the more personal and the more specific the guidance is, the better," she said, such as having an advisor in the workplace or on-site events. Really, if you're trying to change personal behaviour, the message has to be directed to that person, said Dinh. "at's the only way it will res- onate with an employee, (talking about) what it means for them, individually." Personalize communication CHRONIC DISEASE < pg. 3 Where health benefit costs are coming from, 81% based on the health profile of their organization The rate and causes of absenteeism 77% The chronic disease burden in the employee population 70% Biologics and other specialty pharmaceuticals, 69% especially as they arrive on the market Adherence rates to medications for the top disease states in their organization 66% Source: Sanofi Canadda Healthcare Survey 2016 LOOKING FOR INSIGHTS Plan sponsors would like a better understanding of…

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