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I. Introduction: As waistlines continue to expand in the US so have health care costs. In an effort to slow rising health care costs, improve performance, and increase productivity, corporations implement workplace wellness programs. Workplace wellness programs can include a number of components, such as wearable fitness devices, health screenings, health risk assessments, smoking cessation, flu shots, nutrition services, health education, stress management, and health coaching. However, a lot of focus has been given to increased physical activity. This is due, in part, to the fact that a large percentage of preventable health care costs can be attributed to weight related conditions. This can also …show more content…
Towers Watson and the National Business Group on Health found that many corporations are considering the use of wearable fitness devices to encourage increased physical activity (Davis, 2014, p. 40). For example, Modern Healthcare, revealed that Aetna will subsidize a significant portion of the cost of an Apple iWatch (which starts at $300) for its 50,000 employees this year. At roughly 15 million dollars that is an enormous investment (Herman, 2016, p.11). While most corporations do not spend 15 million dollars on wearable fitness devices, they still end up investing a sizable amount of many paying for all or a portion of the cost of these devices. Given the expense of these devices and the continuing inflation of health care costs, it is important to determine whether these devices are a worthwhile investment for corporations. Are wearable fitness devices effective? Do people actually use the devices? Are the devices effective at increasing physical activity? Do the devices actually support the sustained long-term behavior change that is required to prevent costly medical conditions? Does offering the devices decrease a corporation's health care spend? Unfortunately, research shows that the devices are not effective at increasing an employee activity level or reducing health care costs. Therefore, corporations should …show more content…
The most simple devices are designed to record the number of steps the user takes. More expensive and sophisticated devices can also track heart rate, calorie expenditure, and prompt users to move if they are not meeting their activity goals. Users that are committed to health and fitness find these devices useful because of the data and the motivation that they provide. As a result, when wearing a device a user is typically more active. Fitbit Wellness (manufacturer of one of the more popular wearable fitness devices) has found that individuals are 40% more active when use a wearable fitness device (Wooldridge, 2014, p.47). However, it is important to note that wearable fitness devices have not been shown to increase physical activity in sedentary individuals. This is significant since a sedentary lifestyle has been attributed to high healthcare costs. Unfortunately, since the devices are primarily used by employees who are already activity, no significant costs savings are associated with
I. Introduction: As waistlines continue to expand in the US so have health care costs. In an effort to slow rising health care costs, improve performance, and increase productivity, corporations implement workplace wellness programs. Workplace wellness programs can include a number of components, such as wearable fitness devices, health screenings, health risk assessments, smoking cessation, flu shots, nutrition services, health education, stress management, and health coaching. However, a lot of focus has been given to increased physical activity. This is due, in part, to the fact that a large percentage of preventable health care costs can be attributed to weight related conditions. This can also …show more content…
Towers Watson and the National Business Group on Health found that many corporations are considering the use of wearable fitness devices to encourage increased physical activity (Davis, 2014, p. 40). For example, Modern Healthcare, revealed that Aetna will subsidize a significant portion of the cost of an Apple iWatch (which starts at $300) for its 50,000 employees this year. At roughly 15 million dollars that is an enormous investment (Herman, 2016, p.11). While most corporations do not spend 15 million dollars on wearable fitness devices, they still end up investing a sizable amount of many paying for all or a portion of the cost of these devices. Given the expense of these devices and the continuing inflation of health care costs, it is important to determine whether these devices are a worthwhile investment for corporations. Are wearable fitness devices effective? Do people actually use the devices? Are the devices effective at increasing physical activity? Do the devices actually support the sustained long-term behavior change that is required to prevent costly medical conditions? Does offering the devices decrease a corporation's health care spend? Unfortunately, research shows that the devices are not effective at increasing an employee activity level or reducing health care costs. Therefore, corporations should …show more content…
The most simple devices are designed to record the number of steps the user takes. More expensive and sophisticated devices can also track heart rate, calorie expenditure, and prompt users to move if they are not meeting their activity goals. Users that are committed to health and fitness find these devices useful because of the data and the motivation that they provide. As a result, when wearing a device a user is typically more active. Fitbit Wellness (manufacturer of one of the more popular wearable fitness devices) has found that individuals are 40% more active when use a wearable fitness device (Wooldridge, 2014, p.47). However, it is important to note that wearable fitness devices have not been shown to increase physical activity in sedentary individuals. This is significant since a sedentary lifestyle has been attributed to high healthcare costs. Unfortunately, since the devices are primarily used by employees who are already activity, no significant costs savings are associated with