Health Risk Appraisals: What You Need to Consider

Years ago, doctors relied on traditional paper surveys to educate patients about the link between lifestyle and health. Although physicians still question patients, in the past couple of decades the workplace has become a popular venue for health risk appraisals (HRAs). Employees answer questions on topics ranging from their family medical history to driving and smoking habits, then receive an assessment of their current health status and potential risks. Companies typically tie HRAs to a wellness program, encouraging employees to adopt healthier lifestyles to reduce health risks and medical costs.

Health risk appraisals -- also called health risk assessments -- benefit both employers and employees, as shown below:

Potential advantages of HRAs

Approximately half of all American companies use HRAs, according to the Wellness Council of America. But it's not as simple as drafting a handful of questions and directing employees to an online survey. Here are some considerations before you roll out health assessments to your company:

Planning team and HRA providers: You'll need a core group of employees within your company to plan and implement the assessments. This may include people from your wellness committee, human resources department or an inter-departmental team. In addition, it's prudent to hire an outside HRA provider. Vendors may help design questionnaires, create promotions, administer health screenings, provide reports, offer health education materials, set up accompanying wellness programs and more.

HRA objectives: It's important to identify goals for the HRA. Do you want to obtain a thumbnail sketch of your entire employee population so you can design a comprehensive wellness program? Then you'll need a broad-based assessment that asks about everything from sleeping patterns to cholesterol levels. However, if you're developing a campaign targeted at lowering risks for diabetes, then the HRA will reflect that focus. Other objectives for HRAs may be to refine your health plan services, create disease management programs or screen employees prior to exercising at a corporate fitness facility.

Ethics: Approximately 85% of employees are willing to provide personal information on a confidential basis to learn more about their health risks, according to a 2008 survey by Hewitt Associates LLC, a provider of human resources consulting and outsourcing services. But it's critical to have procedures in place to protect data and ensure confidentiality. The Society for Prospective Medicine published seven ethical guidelines for HRAs, which can be found on the Center for Disease Control's Web site. Also consult HR or a legal advisor knowledgeable with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) to ensure you don't violate any privacy guidelines.

Survey method: There are numerous options for your staff to complete the questionnaire. An HRA provider may conduct personal or telephone interviews. Employees may complete paper surveys they can hand in or mail back. Or employees may fill out an online questionnaire at home or work.

Incentives and promotions: Many companies offer employees incentives to complete HRAs, ranging from one-time prizes such as T-shirts to ongoing rewards such as health insurance premium reductions. You may promote upcoming HRAs with posters, kickoff events, emails, company newsletter articles, etc.

Feedback: Results of the assessments may be provided to employees at home or work, through mail or via a password-protected web site. The information should be engaging and easy for your staff to interpret. Offer assistance to employees who need help understanding the results or seek follow-up advice. The aggregate reports your company receives also need to be useful, with recommendations based on the results and comparisons to any past HRAs.