Companies are expected to lose $18 trillion in productivity by 2028 due to employee stress and mental health issues, according to the World Health Organization—and the pandemic is only accelerating the trend. In an effort to bring confidential and accessible support services to the workplace, Nashville-TN population health provider, Wellview has announced it is expanding both its mental health and financial wellness services to meet the surging demand.
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Earlier this year, Wellview added Coley Williams as Director of Mental Health to help manage its growing staff of licensed counselors. The company also added more financial coaches to help meet the increasing requests for its new employee financial coaching division.
Both the mental health and financial coaching sessions are delivered through secure, online video conferencing visits, both for convenience and the ability to get appointments quickly. The effort is part of a multi-faceted campaign to provide the services employees need to be healthy in all areas of their lives.
“The Centers for Disease Control estimate that a third of adult Americans are experiencing clinical levels of anxiety or depression,” Williams said. “That has serious implications for productivity, families, and society at large, in addition to the costly toll it takes on patients. So we don’t just match patients up with a mental health provider. We train and enable that provider to be a connector, helping them match up with other providers that can help, like a personal trainer, dietitian, or financial coach. That is really what makes Wellview different, and why we’re able to get such great results for our patients.”
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The virtual platform for mental health services, in particular, has a variety of benefits. The negotiated pricing the company offers means employers can offer the services of a licensed clinician for 60 to 80 percent less than they would expect to pay with regular providers, with a fraction of the wait times for an appointment. Employees can access the experts for just a session or two, or a longer engagement, depending on their needs.
“We are forecasting as much as a 94 percent increase in the demand for mental health services over the next few years,” said Dr. Cole Barfield, Chief Medical Officer for Wellview. “We have discovered over this past year that employees have been having more difficulties at work and home, including an increase in financial stresses. When a company has Wellview as its healthcare partner, we can be there for the highs and lows. We have a relationship with the employees, so we can step in before they reach a crisis point. We are able to reduce costs while providing employees with treatment that’s truly timely and meaningful.”
“We are excited about furthering our growth to help employees,” said Barfield. “When employees are happier and more productive, they become better employees with enhanced engagement and loyalty. Not only do we see employees thrive in the work environment, but also grow and develop as a person outside of work. They can truly live their best life. We are honored and humbled to be a part of it,” he added.
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