Program Evaluation: Wellness for Life

Specific Aim: The specific aim of this program evaluation is to assess the effectiveness of the employee wellness program (Wellness for Life program) at Community Hospital (CH) in McCook, Nebraska through the analysis of biometric data, personal health assessment results, and survey results. Significance: The evaluation of this program is important to ensure CH is aiding their employees so they might lead healthy lives at a time when the health of our country is incredibly poor. Background: CH is a small critical access hospital that employs 323 people in McCook, Nebraska. In 2013 CH decided to offer a formal employee wellness program for all employees that would encourage healthy lifestyles and offer benefits such as insurance rate discounts, wellness bonuses, and gym membership discounts. Methods: Biometric data and personal health assessment data from 2013-2019 will be compared to show physical health and wellbeing trends throughout the years since CH began the Wellness for Life program. Along with data collection, a survey will be conducted on the employee population to assess the culture of health at CH through their eyes. Depending on the results of the evaluation, recommendations will be made on how to either improve or continue the program for the best employee health outcomes. Results: Biometric data from 2012-2020 was recovered to show averages for Body Mass Index, Hemoglobin A1C, and Nicotine/Cotinine levels in the entire participating population. Data was also collected, analyzed, and synthesized from a Culture of Wellness survey that was sent to all of the CH employees. Fifty percent of the population completed the survey; 10% non-participants and 90% participants. Discussion: Data was collected using biometric records, and the results indicate relatively small changes in the selected health measures. However, there was an increase in Culture of Health based on the responses of both the participating employee and non-participating employee population. Recommendations for the Wellness for Life program include encouraging participants to utilize evidence-based programs already available to them through the wellness portal WellSteps