Health Handouts : Corporate Wellness Program Ideas: Wellness Screenings

Job Site health screenings can take a variety of forms. Common screening components may include:

• Blood Pressure and pulse rate.
• Cholesterol (typically a finger-stick total cholesterol test, either fasting or non-fasting).
• Blood glucose (diabetes screening).
• Height and weight.
• Percent body fat and/or BMI (body mass index).
• Fitness level.
• Bone density.
• Posture assessment.

Considerations when offering worksite screenings:

• Wellness screenings must be conducted by qualified, and at times, licensed individuals.
• Health screenings must be conducted in a location that allows for privacy and confidentiality.
• Time for discussion and explanation screening results must be allowed as part of the evaluation process.
• A process must be in place for referral for participants whose results are indicative of a need for further medical evaluation.
• Screenings can be very costly to the central wellness budget OR there may be no expense to the program if participants are willing to cover the expense of the assessment themselves. For example, cholesterol and glucose testing usually expenditures twenty to twenty-five dollars per person, per exam. Staff Members may be willing to pay for screening in exchange for the convenience of having the screening at work.
• It generally works best to have scheduled appointments at intervals sufficient to allow time for the assessment and a brief discussion of results. Therefore, a registration and scheduling process must be devised.
• Some types of evaluation, such as fitness testing, require participants to bring casual clothes in which to do the testing. Staff Members should be notified of the need to dress in a specific manner for the evaluation.
• To ensure high attendance at assessment activities, it is advisable to start promotion of the event with reminders to employees.
• Supply employees with “screening preparation” instructions to remind them how to prepare for the most accurate assessment results.

Resources for worksite screenings:

1. Consult with a wellness consultant or health evaluation organization.
2. If employee participation is meager for onsite health screenings, or if offering additional worksite assessment is an option, check with the neighborhood health or outreach department of your local hospital, health education department, occupational health department or worksite health department as to screenings they might offer.
3. Local health clubs may also have qualified employee for some types of screenings, such as fitness testing or body fat measurement.