FirstPath Advantage program developed to close gap on health care continuum

New combination of research-driven methods provides better care, and reduces costs for businesses

A unique approach to health management was recently announced by FirstSolutions and BeniComp, Inc. The program, FirstPath Advantage, has been developed to close the gap on the health care continuum and dramatically impact employer claims costs. The goal is to reach people who slipped through the cracks of the health care system before they experience a life-altering health event, which inevitably results in long-term chronic conditions and increased health care costs for employees and employers.

FirstPath Advantage combines voluntary biometric and on-line health risk screenings, incentives and personal outreach and coaching to assess health status and reduce the likelihood of major health complications in its participants. The result is the first and only predictive health program designed to immediately provide a return on company health care expenditures, while improving the health of its workers: a win-win scenario for businesses and employees.  "When people are healthier they are happier and more productive, company health care costs go down, and profits go up," says Joyce Mireault, Vice President of Health Management for FirstSolutions.

Doug Short, President of BeniComp, Inc., says FirstPath Advantage can reduce the burden on employers faced with providing mandatory preventive benefits, outlined in the new health care legislation, by providing an ROI on health care costs. In effect, says Short, "An investment in FirstPath Advantage can easily be cost-neutral in the short-term, and provide a substantial return over several years."

A departure from traditional health care programs, HIPAA-compliant FirstPath Advantage is based on reaching out to people before they require chronic disease management and helps employees recognize dangerous, and often hidden, modifiable health risk factors. Pilot testing showed 80%-90% of participants needing some type of active outreach for a health issue, many of whom were not even aware of a problem. RNs trained in Intrinsic Coaching® provide coaching, education and support via phone and email.

A collaborative effort between FirstSolutions, based in Duluth, MN, and BeniComp, Inc of Fort Wayne, IN, FirstPath Advantage merges seamlessly with any existing health plan or insurance a business may already have. "The biggest difference is the integration of effective incentives, proactive outreach, and the very real ROI offered through our patented wellness program," says Short.