EPIC Healthy Weight Initiative

By MURRAY LYNN HARBER

We have explored the many reasons why employers need to ensure to offer a comprehensive model for the prevention of obesity and other metabolic health conditions involving weight management considerations. The current pandemic has heightened the awareness of weight management with these multiple chronic conditions and their effect on COVID-19 patients which can lead to medical complications, ventilation, and end of life care. Offering resources and programs for everyone along the continuum of weight, from underweight to obese, is critically important to ensure access and care for everyone. As you go into your health benefits discussions for 2022 and beyond, use the EPIC Obesity Checklist to see if your plan is inclusive and diverse in its offerings as to meet plan members where they are in their weight journey. Make the necessary additions for the upcoming year. If you missed the Obesity Series earlier this year, visit the HR Professional’s website and search for “Obesity” and you will find the articles and info pages which could be helpful.

Currently, employers report offering more benefits and total compensation to attract and retain employees and have a need for expanded benefits and services for behavioral health issues such as anxiety, depression, and substance abuse. They are reporting that staffing and return to work issues are still the primary focus of leadership and management attention and focus. Employers are continuing to see a sustained level of engagement with virtual care sessions in health care, workers compensation, and mental health support. Human Resource Professionals should be leveraging all your community partnerships, all your health benefits vendors, and all internal resources including data sharing, communication planning, and warm referrals. EPIC’s HEALTHY WEIGHT INITIATIVE On the EPIC website, www.epicouncil.org, (look under initiatives and Obesity), you will find information and education on the benefits of working toward a healthy weight for the employer, the healthcare provider, and the employee/plan member. Information is presented along the prevention continuum moving from primary to secondary and to tertiary. Primary prevention strategies include general lifestyle, health, and wellbeing promotion and programs. Secondary prevention includes target behavioral approaches and medical weight management programs which could include supplementation and/or medications (Anti-Obesity Medicines-AOMs). Tertiary prevention includes resources for outpatient and in-patient services and/or care including Bariatric Surgery or Extreme Medical Weight Management.

EPIC is providing a virtual series of employer centric, Industry-specific roundtables on “The Weight of Obesity on Your Organization” where information will be shared on benefits trends, medical perspectives, and key program implementation considerations for comprehensive Obesity (weight management) programs that will include an interactive discussion of the panelists by the moderator. The lessons learned will be added to the EPICouncil.org website following the completion of the scheduled 2021 sessions.

EPIC is a trusted resource for employers and providers when looking at collaborating to improve health, patient care, and value of dollars invested into employer-based health care benefits and programs. We aim to “Make Change Happen” in the marketplace toward more valuebased care decision-making arrangements to include optimizing weight management into effective comprehensive solutions. Other initiatives being developed are Cancer, Digital Therapeutics, and Women’s Health.

Are you interested in adding your input? Please reach out and let us know what you are interested in or would like to share questions and success stories.

EPIC OBESITY CHECKLIST Murray L. Harber

Co-Chair, WellSpent Southeast Founding Board Member, Employer-Provider Interface Council (EPIC) murraylynnharber@gmail.com