U.S. Preventive Medicine: Employers Can Help Workers Avoid Hea...( Prevention Expert Offers T...),Health

Prevention Expert Offers Tips for Benefits/HR Managers

DALLAS, June 23 /PRNewswire/ -- Employers and their corporate human resources departments can play an important role in preventing their workers from suffering crippling or fatal heart attacks, according to a leading prevention expert at U.S. Preventive Medicine, the leader in disease prevention.

Dr. Boyd Lyles, corporate medical director at U.S. Preventive Medicine, says it's not uncommon for heart attacks to strike individuals who seem relatively healthy or who feel good. "Unfortunately, people, by nature, do not seek out medical care when they don't feel bad. They don't want the possibility of getting bad news or to be told that they should be doing things that they don't want to do, such as eating differently, drinking less alcohol, not smoking, or exercising more regularly," says Dr. Lyles.

With employer health care costs continuing to rise at nearly double digit increases, prevention and wellness programs in the workplace are beginning to gain much more attention, noted Dr. Lyles.

"We are committed to helping employers make prevention their top priority when it comes to the health of their employees and families," says Dr. Lyles. "In a climate of increasing costs of living, including health insurance and co-pays for physician visits and medications, it is important to spend money wisely. A little reading or study can prove very helpful in making informed decisions about their health."

Dr. Lyles offers these suggestions for employers:

1) Provide a proactive, thorough, employee-friendly portal to preventive health care that eliminates the confusion about what and when to do to be truly preventive. This should include health risk assessments (HRAs), lifestyle/behavior education opportunities, as well as guidance for the appropriate medical testing. Health coaching, either by telephone or internet can be very effective.

2) Install a "library" that
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