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Fact: More than 30% of American adults are now obese. By 2030, unless something changes, this will rise to almost 45%.
Fact: Right now obesity is responsible for more than 25% of health care costs in America.
Fact: Approximately 58.5 million U.S. adults now smoke and are at increased risk of developing any of 30 different diseases.
Fact: Smoking-related deaths total 424,000 annually, and more than $172 billion has been spent on healthcare costs related to smoking.
No wonder more and more employers are establishing employee wellness programs and preventive care is incorporated into the mandate of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA).
The assumption is that an emphasis on wellness is likely the only way to stop the epidemic of lifestyle-related illnesses that are killing us. According to an October 2012 article in U.S. News, wellness is going mainstream.
"How Healthcare Is Changing - For the Better" makes the point that both the health insurance industry and Medicare now are "paying doctors and hospitals based on how successfully they treat patients and keep them out of the hospital."
Already there are community health teams in Vermont that are transforming healthcare delivery, initiatives such as the Cleveland Clinic's Heart Care at Home program, and hospitals that are focused on educating and listening to patients.
Medicare also has imposed financial penalties on hospitals when some patients are readmitted within 30 days, hoping to reverse trends like those of heart failure patients, one in four of whom is readmitted within 30 days of discharge.
You may find that your healthcare providers are faster in responding to your inquiries, and someday you may even have a personal health coach to keep you on the path to wellness.
It's all part of a wellness revolution, which, if it succeeds, may make obesity and smoking deaths things of the past.
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