Why Invest in Community Health: What’s Working and How to Take Action

TRACK: Management and Administration in OEM

Catherine M. Baase, MD, FAAFP, FACOEM, Dow Chemical Company, Midland, MI
Nico Pronk, PhD, HealthPartners, Bloomington, MN

Workplace health promotion programs are offered by almost 80% of employers in the U.S., yet the majority of those programs fail to address community-level drivers of workforce health (The Vitality Institute, 2015). American businesses have the unique ability to impact the health of the communities around them, while improving business performance. To advance population health in a community requires not only business engagement but that of multiple stakeholders across various sectors. This session will provide an overview of the Healthy Workplaces, Healthy Communities (HWHC) initiative that aims to build the business case and disseminate tools and resources for employers to engage in the health of the communities around them. Several reasons for business involvement in population health efforts will be presented. Participants will understand the results of an executive convening that begins to reveal the underlying business case for employers to invest intentionally in the health of the community