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Consortium to Validate Online Corporate Wellness Programs
ROCHESTER, MINN. -- Mayo Clinic HealthQuest has formed a multi-company consortium to study, validate and quantify the effectiveness of online corporate wellness programs.
Intel provided a research grant to Mayo Clinic HealthQuest Online for this study, and is a member of the consortium. Study results will be used to define the future of online wellness programs. The study is expected to be completed in the Year 2001.
Consortium members include Intel, Lucent Technologies and Texas Instruments.
The consortium plans to begin the study in June, with the support of Larry Chapman, M.P.H., a consultant and leading health promotion expert. At the end of the study, the consortium will issue a public report of its findings.
"This study is important because companies are changing the way they communicate with employees," says Dr. Phil Hagen, medical director of Mayo Clinic HealthQuest and a Mayo Clinic preventive medicine specialist. "More and more employees indicate that the computer and online services are their preferred methods of obtaining information. Employers are responding by adapting their health programs to deliver their health messages with this medium. At the same time, companies are taking more responsibility in providing health and wellness information as part of their employee health benefits."
"Many companies now provide employee services such as retirement account management on their corporate Intranets," says Steven McGeady, vice president of Intel's Content Group and director of the Internet Health Initiative. "Online health and wellness programs such as Mayo Clinic HealthQuest Online can deliver even more value to employees, bringing them high quality health information and interactive applications at home or through their workplace."
Mayo Clinic HealthQuest Online is updated daily from Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., drawing upon the expertise and experience of Mayo Clinic's 2,000 physicians and Mayo's nutritionists, health educators, nurses and other medical professionals. New features will be added to the site based on subscriber and consortium members' needs.
Besides this online service, Mayo Clinic HealthQuest also provides wellness newsletters, books and other services for the workplace. Organizations interested in Mayo Clinic HealthQuest services may call 1-800-430-9699 for more information.
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