[WRE | SPOTLIGHT]
As more and more businesses across myriad industries in America are finding out, health care costs can seriously impact a company’s ability to sustain itself and/or its employees. Hertling had some advice for both companies, and their workers, who are considering a health-based initiative like Health Performance Strategies as a means to avoid such a fate. He also noted that these habits are paramount in maintaining a healthier, longer-living, and longer-performing staff. “Health care costs are increasing across the country, to the point of being unaffordable,” he emphasized. “Te cause of this is an increasing illness and malady rate at every level. As Americans, we are eating the wrong foods, not exercising enough, not sleeping enough, and not having positive interpersonal interactions. All of these things contribute to an increase in earlier onset of disease and maladies that can be avoided.” Hertling stressed that a healthy lifestyle is almost always a matter of choice, but initiatives like this one can go a long way towards helping folks to understand both the benefits and the true consequences of certain lifestyle choices—which is exactly what the partnership between AWRF and Florida Hospital is aiming to do. “Florida Hospital has expertise in healing, but we also have individuals who understand what brings about stress and cardiovascular disease—what contributes to stroke and diabetes,” he said. “And those same individuals know how to help people avoid sickness and live a healthier lifestyle. But it is up to the individual, and the organization, to make those right choices. Our hope is to help inform, so that people make the right choices.”
Te article also disclosed that 56 million adults in the U.S. will struggle with health care costs this year— adding that nearly 10 million adults with year-round health care coverage will accumulate medical bills they can’t pay off this year.
MEDICAL BILLS ARE THE BIGGEST CAUSE OF U.S. BANKRUPTCIES. – Dan Mangan,
cnbc.com
Hertling had some basic advice for anyone trying
to avoid this outcome. “Te key is the exercise-diet-sleep paradigm—but there are other things that are part of our model,” he noted. “Making the right choices in relationships, and establishing your environment. Look at nutrition as more than what you eat—think of it as your emotional and intellectual nutrition as well.” He is firm in his belief that people looking to
improve their health and stay out of the hospital should eat less, try a more balanced diet, eliminate fast foods and carbonated, sugary drinks, and increase intake of fruits and vegetables. “People should also exercise at least four days a week, for thirty or more minutes—but do things you like to do, not what others tell you to do. And sleep at least seven hours a night. “Strangely enough, we believe one of our key
responsibilities is to keep people out of the hospital. Our beds are full.” Hertling affirmed Florida Hospital’s desire to establish a relationship with people while they’re healthy, to help them remain healthy. “Te key is to keep our communities healthy, which we believe will actually help to start to reduce the cost of health care in the long term.”
Hertling at the St. Louis AWRF meeting, leads a morning run to promote Health Performance Strategies.
A recent piece by Dan Mangan on
cnbc.com was
titled: “Medical Bills Are the Biggest Cause of U.S. Bankruptcies.” It revealed that nearly two million Americans had to file for bankruptcy in 2013 as a result of unpaid medical bills—making health care the number one cause of such filings—more than credit card bills or unpaid mortgages. Tat said, even folks who have health insurance aren’t immune to related financial struggles.
18 JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2015 WIRE ROPE EXCHANGE
As that community relates to industries, organizations, and associations—like AWRF—Hertling feels there has never been a more important time for industry leadership to take the initiative and make moves to influence healthier lifestyles. “Workers spend the majority of the day in their work environment. To have an organization like AWRF model proper behavior will start a change in all of America, and we need that.” Ask your employer or AWRF representative about
how you can get involved in the new Health Performance Strategies initiative being championed by AWRF and Florida Hospital. It’s never too late to start a healthier lifestyle. AWRF has chosen to lead by example and take the initiative with this partnership as encouragement for member companies and employees alike to take on the challenge of addressing personal health, reducing health care costs, and improving both lives and careers. Look for the Health Performance Strategies/
Florida Hospital link on the AWRF website for more information, at:
www.awrf.org. y
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