The National Diabetes Prevention Program (also known as the National DPP) is an evidence-based lifestyle change program that has been proven to prevent or delay type 2 diabetes in adults. People with prediabetes who take part in this structured lifestyle change program can reduce their risk of developing type 2 diabetes by up to 58%, and up to 71% for people over 60 years old.

Filling open positions continues to be a top challenge among businesses in the pandemic-era. In the face of staffing shortages and high levels of workforce burnout, employers are having to evolve their recruitment and retention strategies to attract and keep talent. While flexibility, benefits, and perks can play a role, the most innovative organizations are looking inward for the answers.

From the time that we are young, we are taught that washing our hands is one of the best ways to prevent the spread of germs. But this simple act is not always executed as frequently as desired…even in health care settings where patient safety may be at risk. In fact, studies show that on average, health care providers wash their hands less than half of the times that they should. And this lapse in hygiene is estimated to contribute to healthcare associated infections that impact one in every 31 patients on any given day.

As health care costs have risen, so has the financial responsibility of employees for many insurance plans and services. According to Kaiser Family Foundation, the average general annual deductible has increased 25% over the past five years, with out-of-pocket maximums topping out at over $8,000 for single coverage and over $16,000 for family coverage. Considering that medical bills are reported to be the number one cause of bankruptcies in the US, it begs the question: how can we help patients better manage health care spending?

On this episode of the Be Health Connected podcast, the BHC is joined by Dr. Jay Moore, Chief Clinical Officer with Paytient, to discuss current and future trends in health care financing, the impact of benefit design, and solutions to aid patients in affording care.

Nearly two years after the declaration of COVID-19 as a global pandemic, we continue to unpack its far-reaching effects. By examining regional commercial claims data, the Midwest Health Initiative is helping purchasers, providers, and the larger community understand and interpret the pandemic’s impact on health care delivery and utilization, as well as the potential for future changes.

Many organizations are familiar with traditional occupational safety practices, implemented to protect employees from work-related hazards. But, as the pandemic has clearly demonstrated, these hazards extend far beyond the physical workplace environment and can include other job-related and sociodemographic factors that negatively impact an employee’s well-being. For this reason, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (also known as NIOSH) established the Total Worker Health® program over a decade ago to support employers, labor representatives, and other public health professionals in protecting employee physical and psychological safety while advancing holistic health and productivity.

With COVID-19 variants spurring an uptick in cases and hospitalizations across the country, communities and businesses continue to grapple with questions around how to minimize future spread. This is complicated further by the impending flu season, leaving many to wonder if we will be facing a difficult fall and winter with two circulating viruses.

To provide clarity around these concerns, we are pleased to be joined by Dr. Mary Fox, Chief Medical Officer and Advanced Illness Management Clinical Physician with the Visiting Nurse Association of Greater St. Louis. During this interview, we discuss the impact of the pandemic on this year's flu strategy, as well as recommendations around COVID-19 boosters and the flu vaccine.

As patients, we all hope that the hospitals and outpatient facilities that we choose will provide the best care for us and our loved ones. But the reality is that quality, safety, and outcomes can vary dramatically depending on the facility. That is why transparency is so critical in ensuring that patients and purchasers of health care have the information needed to make important decisions.

For this episode, we are joined by Leah Binder, President and CEO of The Leapfrog Group, a nonprofit watchdog organization that for the past two decades has collected, analyzed, and published safety and quality data in order to push the health care industry forward, encourage better care choices, and save lives.

COVID-19 has drastically altered the health care environment – including access, delivery, affordability, and patient needs. In the third and final episode of our three-part series on “Building Resilience in a Post-Pandemic World,” we are joined by Stephanie Vojicic, Regional Vice President of Sales, and Summer Groth, Account Executive, Beacon Health Partnerships, for Anthem, Inc. to dive further into the shifting landscape and the importance of focusing on a whole-health approach in the era of digital care.

As part of a special three-part podcast series on “Building Resilience in a Post-Pandemic World,” the BHC is exploring next steps for individuals, businesses, and our communities in recovering from the current crisis and preparing for the next. For the second episode in this series, we are joined by Dr. John Wigneswaran, or as many like to call him “Dr. Wig,” to talk about the current state of the pandemic, including new emerging variants and vaccine safety considerations. We will end with insights regarding the impact of COVID-19 on the health care delivery system and what trends can be expected in the future.