October 22, 2018
There’s a lot of buzz lately about health and wellness in the workplace and how biometric screenings can be a great way for companies to invest in the good health of their employees.
At MedExpress, we believe that the wellness of your employees starts with understanding the state of their health – including present and potential risks. Let’s take a closer look at biometric screenings so you know the ins and outs, and how they can help.
What Exactly is a Biometric Screening?
A biometric screening is the measurement of physical characteristics of a person, such as height, weight, body mass index, blood pressure, blood cholesterol, blood glucose, and aerobic fitness levels. Biometric screenings are often part of a workplace health assessment that can benchmark and evaluate changes in the employee’s health over time.1
Where Does a Biometric Screening Take Place?
Generally, a medical care provider can either send their staff to your business location, or you can have your employees visit the provider’s location at their convenience.
How Long Does it Take for My Employee to Receive Results or Feedback from the Biometric Screening?
Once completed, your employee’s results can be reviewed on the spot — right after the screening. Healthcare staff can provide recommendations on how to maintain and improve good health, take action against any identified existing conditions, and answer any questions or concerns your employee may have.
Is a Biometric Screening the Same as a Physical?
No. There are differences between a biometric health and wellness screening and a “standard” type of work-related physical. For example, a biometric screening is not a pre-employment physical. While some components of the testing may be the same, a pre-employment screening may require additional testing and labs, depending on the type of work to be done. A biometric screening is also very different than other specialized physicals, such as a Department of Transportation physical that is federally-mandated.
Why Are Biometric Screenings Important for Your Organization and Employees?
That’s a great question! Offering biometric screenings each year can be important in helping you to reduce your company’s overall healthcare spend over time. Also, offering health and wellness programs can increase employee engagement and productivity. Instilling a culture of health and wellbeing can also help to keep your employees happy at your company, reducing turnover.
But more importantly, your employees will have the opportunity to learn more about their health and risks of chronic diseases, such as diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease. Also, biometric screenings can offer early detection of issues that may have been unknown, so your employees can learn to manage the condition and take a proactive approach to their health.
What Can I Do to Motivate My Employees to Have a Screening Done?
There are a lot of fun ways to encourage participation in your company’s biometric screenings.
Make it an event! If your biometric screening will be held at your facility, offer healthy snacks and fun activities, jazz it up with some music, and make it a day of health at the office. Raffle healthy prizes, like a day at the spa, fitness gear, or other fun prizes. Also, make sure to provide lots of healthy handouts and educational information, like tips on buying healthy groceries at a nearby farmer’s market.
A word of caution, always check with the law of your state to ensure compliance with any laws or regulations relating to biometric screening in your state.
How Can MedExpress Help with Your Biometric Screenings and Employee Wellness?
At MedExpress, we are proud to offer employer health services that can help you create a culture of well-being, while meeting the regulatory needs of your industry. We will work with you to provide a solution for your employer health and wellness needs by offering episodic on-site services which bring our highly-trained team to your location for not only biometric screenings, but flu shot clinics, specialized physicals, and audiometry services. We can also serve your employees at one of our convenient locations. To learn how we can help you get started with biometric screenings, fill out our contact us form or call 833-317-9192.
Answers provided by Lindsay Nelson, Employer Health Services Sales Supervisor. Lindsay is a passionate sales leader at MedExpress, seasoned half-marathon runner, new mom, and has a Master’s degree in Nutrition. In her free time, she enjoys running and spending time with her two dogs and cat.
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References:
1 CDC: Workplace Health Glossary. Last Updated December 8, 2015. Accessed August 22, 2018.