{"id":2634,"date":"2018-05-30T17:27:16","date_gmt":"2018-05-30T22:27:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/2k7s-7bt5.accessdomain.com\/?p=2634"},"modified":"2021-09-17T10:32:49","modified_gmt":"2021-09-17T15:32:49","slug":"biometric-screenings-why-are-more-organizations-offering-them-to-employees-and-their-families","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.premisehealth.com\/resources\/blog\/biometric-screenings-why-are-more-organizations-offering-them-to-employees-and-their-families\/","title":{"rendered":"Biometric screenings: Why are more organizations offering them to employees and their families?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Biometric screenings are short health exams that include bloodwork and measurements like height, weight, and waist circumference. They\u2019ve grown in popularity in recent years, with more than 50 percent of large firms offering some type of screening program in 2014. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

What\u2019s behind the biometric screening trend<\/a>? The simple answer is healthcare costs. As those costs have risen, many organizations have invested in programs like biometric screenings, with the goal of helping employees and their families be healthier.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What\u2019s the purpose of a biometric screening?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A biometric screening establishes a health baseline that can be used to evaluate risk for a variety of health issues, many of which can be prevented through early detection and lifestyle changes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Premise Health, we use the information from biometric screenings<\/a> to help our members stay healthy. If their results show they may be at risk for certain diseases, such as diabetes, we work with them to improve their health through nutrition counseling, fitness coaching and other services. Thanks to regular screenings and health education, we can help members prevent many diseases by proactively addressing their causes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We also use the information from biometric screenings to keep organizations up-to-date on the health of their employee and dependent populations. While companies never receive individual results, they do receive a snapshot of the overall, aggregate health results based on the biometric screenings. This information gives them important insight that can help them improve health benefits to better meet the needs of their people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Can companies see individuals\u2019 screening results? <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

No. An organization might receive aggregate results that indicate the health of its workforce overall. But it will never receive the results of individuals, since that would violate the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What are some of the benefits of offering biometric screenings?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Knowledge is power, for individuals and companies. Someone who finds out they have high blood pressure, for example, can then take steps to control it. When screenings are paired with in-depth education on nutrition fitness, alongside programs and support to help people change their behavior, they can lead to important lifestyle changes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The information from these screenings can also help employers and other organizations decide which health programs to offer. For example, if many people at a company show prediabetes symptoms, that company might decide to offer nutrition classes at the jobsite or near where many of its employees and their families live. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is included in a biometric screening? What do people receive from them?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The most common measures are
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