Author: Leah Steinhardt

HBG Partners with 2nd.MD

2nd.MD goes by the motto “The best doctors in the world available by video in 3 days”. They are a major disrupter in the health care industry, as we know it today. They provide a telehealth platform combining treatment support with expert opinions from doctors at elite institutions. 2nd.MD’s effortless concierge approach connects members with the right specialists from top institutions like Mayo Clinic, Harvard and John’s Hopkins.

This is virtual, expert decision support for difficult, complex conditions: a new diagnosis, possible surgery, worsening of a chronic disease or change in medication.   2nd.MD provides unbiased, direct video-based consultations with experts in conditions from renowned institutions.  All from the comfort of your own home in just a couple of days.

According to 2nd.MD, theses Virtual Centers of Excellence yield some staggering results: 73% of treatment plans have been improved, 1 in 3 surgeries are being voluntarily cancelled by the member and 34% of consults result in an expert suggesting an alternative diagnosis.

This next phase of consumerism is bringing us higher quality care, improved safety, less waste, unprecedented access to elite specialists and a much more confident consumer.

Article: More Companies are Investing in Mindfulness Programs

A 2016 study conducted by the National Business Group on Health (NBGH) and Fidelity Investments found that 22% of companies have mindfulness training programs already in place, and another 21% plan to add a mindfulness training component in 2017.  The programs typically cost between $500 to $10,000 for large group sessions.

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Article: How Telemedicine is Transforming Health Care

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After years of big promises, telemedicine is finally living up to its potential.

Driven by faster internet connections, ubiquitous smartphones and changing insurance standards, more health providers are turning to electronic communications to do their jobs—and it’s upending the delivery of health care.

Doctors are linking up with patients by phone, email and webcam. They’re also consulting with each other electronically—sometimes to make split-second decisions on heart attacks and strokes. Patients, meanwhile, are using new devices to relay their blood pressure, heart rate and other vital signs to their doctors so they can manage chronic conditions at home.

Telemedicine also allows for better care in places where medical expertise is hard to come by.

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Healthcare Transparency: How to Fix What’s Not Working

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The New York Times recently published an article analyzing the progress of transparency solutions in the healthcare industry. The idea behind these tools is to harness the power of big-data to empower consumers to become sophisticated shoppers of medical care.   The article notes that limitations of these tools are becoming clear. Trying to engage employees when they are deciding where to go and what care they need has been daunting for everyone in the industry. Utilization requires a shift in behavior; people are hesitant to use the tools and when they do, they might not rely on the insight.

At HBG we know it takes more than powerful tools to drive utilization and measurable results. We work with advisors to devise strategies for their clients – using legal financial contribution differentials to drive the participation and ongoing engagement required for sustainable cost control.

Article: Online Tools to Shop for Doctors Snag on Health Care’s Complexity

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Need a dermatologist? Today, online tools can show you which doctors are in your plan’s network as well as rank them by the likely cost of a visit.

Still not sure which one to pick? The tools also show whether you have already met your plan’s deductible and offer Yelp-like reviews of the doctors.

The idea behind these web tools, which have been available from health insurers and start-ups for several years, is to harness the power of so-called big data. The companies cull medical claims and other sources of information to help people become sophisticated shoppers for medical care — and they promise to curb the overall cost of health care in the process. By some estimates, the savings from this newfound transparency could run in the billions of dollars a year.

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Engagement Tactics: HBG’s Pledge Program

At HBG we work with our clients and their advisors to drive employee engagement of healthcare solutions.   A powerful method we use is implementing a “Pledge” or “Commit” program. By promoting incentive strategies within the legal framework of the final rules on incentive programs, HBG is able to drive participation and engagement for proven results.

This exhibits displays actual utilization and savings from HBG’s transparency solution before and after implementing a Pledge program engagement strategy for a 400 life group.   After 13 months of passive engagement, this client wanted to push harder for utilization.   After realizing a savings of 6K in 13 months, this client wanted to push harder for utilization.   Once a custom engagement strategy was implemented, client’s savings increased 20x in 1/2 the time. After customizing an engagement strategy that aligned with their corporate culture, this client’s savings increased 20x in 1/2 the time.

Article: How Companies Invest in Financial Wellness

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In between panting through pushups at your cubicle, you need not hear the oft-repeated stats about physical wellness in the workplace. What’s more, you may be required to take those bothersome surveys by your insurer, tweaking your weight and blood pressure numbers the way some folks get creative with their taxes.

Or perhaps you’re a convert, believing that the healthier you get, the more productive and happy you become at work and the fewer sick days you take. And employers, who certainly love that return on investment, are increasingly turning their attention to an investment of another kind: financial wellness.

“Over 80 percent of U.S. employers offer some type of wellness program,” says Laura Putnam, author of “Workplace Wellness That Works” and founder and CEO of Motion Infusion in San Francisco. “Financial wellness, which is closely connected to productivity, sleep and stress, is one of the biggest trends that we’re seeing now in workplace wellness.”

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10 Tons Ago – HBG’s Campaign to Reverse Metabolic Syndrome in the Workplace

10 Tons Ago is a collective campaign for like-minded employers that will offer members access to an online, behavior-based weight loss program that helps you change how you eat instead of what you eat. It’s not a diet. By learning new techniques about how and when you should eat, you can continue eating your favorite foods while improving your health, reducing your chance of developing serious, chronic disease, and losing weight.

To date, HBG’s program participants have averaged 9.5 lbs of weight loss for a cumulative of just under 2,000 pounds. Results from larger corporations using similar tactics are even more impressive and underscore the effectiveness of the program. Southwest Airlines has lost a total of 17,500 pounds, Genesis Health System has lost 35,000 pounds and The Hartford a total of 40,000 pounds!

Together we can help our clients reverse Metabolic Syndrome, limit their chances of developing chronic disease and improve their healthcare bottom line. Contact us to learn how you can help your clients on the path to reducing Metabolic Syndrome among their workforce.