Healthy Imagination: Revolutionizing Healthcare through Corporate Wellness

Summary

Sue Siegels, the corporate VP at General Electric, provides insights into the Healthy Imagination initiative and how it fosters better health for more people by reducing costs and improving access. The corporate wellness program was initiated to combat GE’s rising health costs, which have become a significant cost burden for the corporation. The program has seen tremendous success in improving employee health and encouraging a positive change in behavior with regard to medical decision making. Siegels also discusses GE’s venture capital arm, the Healthy and Imagination Fund, and its investments in disruptive healthcare solutions.

Introduction
How does the Healthy Imagination initiative benefit GE employees?
What specific programs are implemented through Healthy Imagination?
How has GE seen a positive impact on employee health?
Why is transparency important in healthcare costs?
What role has the Affordable Care Act played in healthcare?
How is GE investing in disruptive healthcare solutions?
What are some examples of GE’s venture capital investments?
Why is convenience important in healthcare?
How does the GE corporate garage aid startups in scaling?
How does nutrition play a role in GE’s corporate wellness program?

Introduction

The Healthy Imagination initiative aims to promote better health and access to healthcare for more people while reducing costs. The initiative stemmed from their mandate to improve employee health and reduce their own health costs. Through investments in disruptive healthcare solutions and the adoption of corporate wellness programs, companies hope to provide more transparency in healthcare costs while promoting better healthcare outcomes.

How does the Healthy Imagination initiative benefit GE employees?

The Healthy Imagination initiative was initially implemented to tackle GE’s rising health costs, which had become a significant cost burden for the corporation. However, the initiative has proved productive in improving employee health outcomes. The Health Ahead program gives GE staff tools to solve their health problems, such as smoking cessation programs, exercise, and health coaching. The company ensures all its staff are on board through implementing a site certification process. The tools allowed employees to change their approach to medical decision making, leading to positive behavior changes, improved employee health, and greater engagement.

What specific programs are implemented through Healthy Imagination?

GE’s corporate wellness program includes a range of tools that help employees improve their health in meaningful ways. One critical aspect of the program is the provision of apps that offer insights into employee health outcomes. The program also includes physical trainers and health coaches to help employees access greater knowledge about their health, helping them make better decisions regarding healthcare and heart health. The program’s active sourcing initiates a complete overhaul of health checkups, including employee screening, health surveys, and biometric measurements.

How has GE seen a positive impact on employee health?

GE employees have embraced the tools and programs provided under the Health Ahead program. These tools and programs have resulted in positive behavior changes, including improvements in helping employees to move more, eat healthier, and manage stress.

Why is transparency important in healthcare costs?

Transparency in healthcare costs has become a matter of increasing concern in recent years. Patients, payers, and policymakers are seeking greater transparency in health costs, with a view to empowering them to make more informed healthcare decisions while reducing healthcare costs, and improving healthcare outcomes. Transparency in healthcare costs is a key component of Healthy Imagination, as well as providing quality healthcare services.

What role has the Affordable Care Act played in healthcare?

The Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, is designed to make healthcare more accessible and affordable to all, irrespective of social or economic status. The Act includes a range of provisions aimed at reducing healthcare costs, promoting increased access to care, and improving healthcare outcomes. However, the Act has not been without criticism, with some groups claiming it imposes a significant financial burden on employers.

How is GE investing in disruptive healthcare solutions?

GE’s Healthy and Imagination Fund is a venture capital arm that invests in disruptive healthcare solutions aimed at improving healthcare outcomes while reducing costs. The Fund has already made some significant investments, including an Israeli company that has developed a pill with a 3D imaging device for colonoscopies. The company has also funded an incubator in Silicon Valley for healthcare startups.

What are some examples of GE’s venture capital investments?

GE’s venture capital investments portfolio has grown over the years, with projects ranging from colonoscopy imaging pills to connected medical devices. GE’s investment portfolio is diversified, with ventures planning to introduce a new era of efficiency and transparency to the healthcare industry. One of GE’s investments includes going beyond providing medical health care solutions and into the formation of partnerships in mental health.

Why is convenience important in healthcare?

Convenience is a vital aspect of healthcare management as it contributes to better healthcare outcomes. Patients are more likely to participate in healthcare initiatives provided they are easy to use, accessible and reduce the burden on their already busy lives. This is particularly true given the rise of the digital age and increasing access to health data and apps.

How does the GE corporate garage aid startups in scaling?

GE’s corporate garage is an open space dedicated to providing resources and expertise to healthcare startups. The corporate garage allows startups to have access to GE’s vast knowledge base and proprietary technology, providing invaluable expertise to help them move quickly to scale.

How does nutrition play a role in GE’s corporate wellness program?

At GE, nutrition plays a vital role in their wellness program. The company has a robust wellness program that fosters better nutrition, such as providing healthy food choices on site. While the company tries to promote better food choices, it does not monitor employee nutrition. However, the employees have acknowledged the benefits of the availability of healthy food items at the workplace.

Conclusion

Healthy Imagination has proved to be a valuable tool in reducing GE’s escalating health costs while promoting better health outcomes for the employees. Efforts to improve healthcare outcomes have been driven by a mix of apps, physical trainers and health coaches, active sourcing, leadership involvement and more. GE’s Healthy and Imagination Fund’s investments in healthcare startups reflect their commitment to research and development of disruptive healthcare solutions aimed at improving healthcare outcomes while reducing costs. GE’s corporate garage offers a supportive environment that allows startups to have invaluable access to GE’s vast knowledge base and proprietary technology to quickly scale their ideas. GE’s commitment to corporate wellness programs proves that fostering better healthcare outcomes can help in reducing healthcare costs while improving healthcare delivery.