Dive Brief:
- Workplace health screenings are an integral part of many corporate wellness initiatives. An article at the Society for Human Resources (SHRM), however, asks whether screenings may go to far in some scenarios.
- For example, the article says high blood pressure, blood glucose level and high cholesterol screenings are the norm, but questions whether workers need them annually. The article also considers whether or not much more invasive tests (prostate cancer, thyroid disorders, etc.) really cross the line.
- Employers should be wary of overtreatment and overdiagnosis, and keep track of "false positives" to monitor a wellness program's levels of screening.
Dive Insight
“There are some screeners who say, ‘While we are taking a blood panel, why don’t we look for X, Y and Z?’” Stephanie Pronk, a principal with Aon Hewitt in Minneapolis, told SHRM. As a result, employers allowing these extra tests could encounter potential problems and risks, as it could mean a wellness program has strayed beyond its initial boundaries.
“The concern should be whether a screening is consistent with clinical guidelines and whether it is really necessary for healthy people,” said LuAnn Heinen, vice president of the Washington, D.C.-based National Business Group on Health. And Aon's Pronk suggested that screenings be limited to health issues that can be controlled through lifestyle changes.
