Internet-based Wellness Support - What do you think?

[Guest DD Miller]

What is the view among participants of providing a wellness service (information, chats, resources, expert counseling) to members through a web-based environment? If properly promoted, would employees embrace this method of learning about smoking cessation, nutrition management, pre-natal care? Do you see them being attracted to the confidential nature of this approach? Thanks for your comments.

[Guest allredh]

Debbie, you might get in touch with Healtheon Inc. They do internet-based employee benefits administration; we were involved in their first application that essentially allowed our employees to sign up during open enrollment for their benefits for the new year, view health information from the carriers, update their own information, etc. The information automatically went into the company's HRIS system (we were using ABRA at the time) as well as in one of the Blue's enrollment system. Because of the nature of this application (being connected to our company's HRIS, to the carrier's system, and coming in from the employee's home or desktop), Healtheon put in the most sophisticated security systems. Obviously, there is no such thing as a truly secure thing in the world, but their system did the best possible, and I'm sure they have continued to enhance the security system. (BTW, the compay was formed by Jim Clark and another person; Jim Clark was as you recall one of original founders of Netscape. Healtheon has gone public in the last couple of years, so you should be able to find them via an internet search. I'm no longer at the company where we installed their system, having moved out of the area....but I'm sure you can find them and get lots of information to help you.) Good luck.