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Lac du Flambeau (LdF) Tribe was one of 48 companies nationwide to be selected for “Healthiest Companies in America” awards for 2007. Recognized for its outstanding progress in its prevention-based employee healthcare initiative, LdF earned its distinction in the Most Improved Category because of its improvements in employee health scores from 2006 to ’07.

The award, based on clinical evaluations of employee participants in key health metrics, was designed by Interactive Health Solutions, a national health management program provider. Interactive Health Solutions vice president Pat Loridas presented the award to LdF Tribal President Victoria Doud on July 1 in Lac du Flambeau.

“We are proud to recognize the achievements and the commitment of the Lac du Flambeau Tribe in its efforts to promote a healthier workforce,” said Loridas on behalf of Interactive Health Solutions.

The recipients of the awards were selected from more than 1,000 organizations that participated in Interactive Health Solution’s programs. The three categories of winners this year included: Most Improved, Best in Class and Healthiest Companies Overall. Winning companies were selected based on their year-to-year aggregate Interactive Health Index that tests for indicators of heart disease, diabetes, smoking and other measures of health status that are at least in part controllable by the individual.

“This award is a tribute to our employees who participated in the program and who are serious about their health,” said President Doud. “I want to congratulate all who met their goals and made healthy lifestyle choices.”

Lac du Flambeau began a prevention-based employee healthcare program in 2005 to improve the health of its workforce and reduce medical costs. Lac du Flambeau’s program, through Interactive Health Solutions, is referred to as a population health management program.

Unlike most wellness programs that are activities based, the population health management model is results based and focuses on measurable outcomes. Its intention is to find indicators of health conditions before they become health problems.

As part of the program, LdF tribal employees receive annual health evaluations, personalized health goals and an array of ongoing resources for any identified health condition.

Each employee covered under the tribe’s employee health insurance program receives a wellness benefit –– an $1,800 health bank account –– that can be used to pay for a wide range of preventative examinations, assessments, services and activities. Even the entire cost of a fitness membership can be paid for using the wellness benefit. The tribe uses other incentives as well to reward progress and healthier lifestyles.

“Basically, employees have the tools and resources available to be proactive,” added Doud.

The benefits for the tribe and its workforce have been far-reaching. LdF’s Health insurance costs overall were notably reduced in 2007 and 225 employees who participated met their health risk assessment goals.

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carol wrote on Jul 8, 2008 7:41 AM:

" I guess it's easy to improve health and reduce the insurance costs when most of the people who were working for the tribe are no longer working. Somewhere along the line something got messed up cause as a tribal member, from the outside looking in, I see no reason to brag and boast about this award, its downright embarrassing! "

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