On-site Health Fair

[Sheila K]

Has anyone coordinated a health fair for your employees??? What types of services do you make available? Flu shots? Cholesterol testing? Would it seem reasonable to have a blood drive in conjunction with this type of event???

HELP!!

Sheila K 8^)

[Guest nb]

We've had health fairs during our last two annual enrollment periods. All health plans are in attendence, we invite the major medical groups, the American Heart Assoc, Cancer Society and anyone you can think of that might enhance the fair. One thing we've learned is to seperate active employees from retirees if you cover them.

Each of them is asked to provide an "attraction" for the fair. Things that we use are blood preasure monitoring, cholesterol testing, fat testing, chiropractic exams, flu shots were offered but we didn't accept (the provider wanted to give away some but charge for most), wellness program had a discounted exercise provider, healthy cooking demo's, Glasses cleaned and refitted.

Door prizes can be donated by providers or by local merchants and given to attendees. Most of the time each table had a little give away also.

Fairs are a lot of work but can be very beneficial in selling a new program to employees.

[GBurns]

IF you have any retirees, it is very easy to get one of the more agressive Medicare HMOs to coordinate this free of charge for you. In Florida that is what is done very often. They have the whole system set up already.

If you dont have any retirees you should still be able to use them but you will have to do more work, but they can give you the contact with the nearby publicly funded regional hospital which will have the blood bany, cholesterol etc. A local chiropractor is usually also helpful. But, in any case make your benefits reps do some work for a change. If I knew more I could give you a helpful rep in your area.

[jeanine]

If you're not planning this in conjunction with an open enrollment period and just conducting a true health fair for employees, I would suggest having your providers present the health fair. My employer, a health foundation, only offers one option for health benefits to its employees but holds an annual fair such as what you seem to be suggesting. We have offered cholesterol screenings to blood donors, mammography screening information, fire safety, bicycle safety, immunization information, blood pressure screening. Your local police, fire, and paramedics can be a good source also.