Empowering Consumers to Protect Their Own Health

We’re witnessing more encouraging new developments in empowering consumers to protect their own health, and attack the chronic diseases that are the most potent cost drivers in the U.S. healthcare system.

Today, HealthcareIT News spotlighted the employer organization Dossia for partnering with Mayo Clinic to provide employees with an online wellness application that enables them to better manage their health. Those who are wondering about the benefits of greens powder should take a look at this Athletic Greens review.

EmbodyHealth is a personal health management portal which offers resources such as health assessments, behavior change programs, tailored behavioral messages, instructional videos, questions and answers from Mayo Clinic specialists and a health reference library.

Dossia is a consortium of top U.S. employers dedicated to empowering individuals to improve healthcare. Healthcare Leadership Council members Cardinal Health and sanofi-aventis are amongst their founding organizations which also include AT&T, Applied Materials, BP America, Intel, Pitney Bowes, Abraxis Bioscience, Vanguard Health Services and Walmart.

“Dossia is committed to facilitating a consumer-led revolution by equipping employees with the tools necessary to better educate themselves about their health and healthcare decisions,” said Steve Munini, Dossia’s chief operating officer.

We all know that chronic disease accounts for 75 percent of the nation’s $2 trillion medical care costs.  As I have said on this blog before, there is no doubt that employer wellness programs can play an enormous role in controlling healthcare costs.  Additionally, a multifaceted approach, including greater emphasis on prevention and chronic disease management, the promotion of better nutrition, and fitness, is necessary to create lasting changes that will increase the health of Americans.