If all investments paid off like wellness, the US economy would be doing very well indeed.

                  “For every $1 spent on wellness, we can get a return of $3.27,” Steven Russell, MD said in the opening session of UAB’s inaugural Innovations in Wellness conference November 14 and 15. A fifth-generation physician, Russell spoke on primary care and how shifting the focus to optimal health can pay off for individuals, their employers and the nation as a whole.

                  “More than 30 percent of the nation’s GDP is spent on healthcare,” Russell said. “Our country is first in the world in terms of healthcare expenditures, but we’re not getting the value on those dollars. According to the Institute of Medicine, the US spent $55 billion on missed disease prevention opportunities.”

                  The significant potential for savings on employee healthcare costs has led major companies like Exxon Mobile and Wal-Mart to invest in wellness programs. Businesses of all sizes are following the trend, creating wellness programs in the hope of achieving both financial benefits and a healthier work force. UAB’s own wellness program led to recognition as Birmingham’s Healthiest Employer for 2012 in the 500-plus employee company category by the Birmingham Business Journal.

                  Creating a wellness program that pays off in dollars and cents and healthier people takes more than a catchy slogan and good intentions.

                  “To be effective, wellness programs need to be grounded in evidence-based research and recommendations from the medical community,” UAB Wellness Coordinator Lauren Whitt, PhD said. “In addition to screenings, it takes effective strategies for empowering people to reach their optimum health and health goals.

 “Some wellness coordinators in charge of building programs for businesses, schools, fitness centers, corporations and social groups are not medically trained. The conference put coordinators in touch with UAB experts who could explain the scientific foundations of illness, treatment and lifestyle influences on chronic diseases. Participants were able to gather advice they could incorporate into their wellness initiatives from seasoned human resources, benefits and wellness leaders as well as insights from physicians, researchers, practitioners and educators to help them understand human behavior and program building.”

The first day of the conference covered the medical community’s perspective on wellness and the impact of chronic conditions. The second day focused on lifestyle solutions and communicating wellness programs.

Dean Harold Jones of the School of Health Professions spoke about the role of leadership and how successful programs need strong leaders that model what they teach.

“Leaders must walk the walk, not just talk the talk,” Jones said. He set an example in this principle by losing a significant amount of weight using UAB’s Eat Right program and chronicling his progress in his blog, “Dean Jones is losing it.”

“All of our own employee resources have come together to build bridges between their areas of expertise to establish a solid foundation for our employee wellness program so that the services and initiatives we offer are grounded in research and behavioral science,” Jones said.

                  The conference addressed primary care, heart health, diabetes management, genetics, breast cancer prevention, nutrition and tobacco cessation. Speakers included American Heart Association president Donna Arnett, PhD and chair of the UAB Department of Epidemiology; Tim Townes, PhD and chair of the UAB Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics; and Helen Krontiras, MD, UAB breast surgeon and co-director of the UAB Breast Health Center.

A high point of the conference was when breast cancer survivor Kristen Noles spoke from the patient’s perspective. She received a standing ovation for her insights on how support from family and coworkers can help patients overcome a serious illness.

                  The conference concluded with strategies for building on previous efforts and using available resources to communicate and brand wellness programs. Dawn Williams, Internal Communications Manager for UAB Health Systems, offered advice on using new technologies and social media to integrate programs into systems companies already have in place. E-mail, newsletters, the web, digital video and other internal communications employees are accustomed to using for company news can get the word out and offer ongoing support.

                  To demonstrate how social media can be a useful tool in wellness programs, Media Specialist Nicole Wyatt sent out a live Twitter feed of the speakers’ key points as they made them. Those unable to attend could see what was happening in real time or review information later at their convenience.

UAB is hoping to make the wellness conference an annual event. Those interested in attending future conferences can register online several months in advance at uab.edu/wellness

                  “If you build a wellness program, they will come,” Wyatt said. “They may not come the first day. There comes a time to choose a healthy path, and it isn’t the same time for everyone. But if the program is there, they will come when they are ready.”

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