Purdue program will give employee health training a boost

Purdue University is starting a pilot project aimed at improving employee health and controlling health-care costs in the manufacturing industry in northern Indiana.Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development, or WIRED, is working with the university's School of Nursing, School of Health Sciences, Department of Health and Kinesiology and Healthcare Technical Assistance Program to identify which training programs work best and to help companies implement them.As many as 750 employees at 12 companies are expected to participate in the 12-month pilot project, which will begin this month, Purdue said in a statement. Potential topics to be addressed include: wise use of the health-care system; self care; everyday exercise; weight management; smoking cessation; ergonomics; nutrition; heart health; and stress management.From April to October, the pilot project will analyze company data - health-care claims, prescription drug use, workers'-compensation claims, safety logs and absenteeism rates - to perform a needs assessment, Allison Bryan, Healthy Workforce Project manager said in a statement.Following the analysis period, the Healthy Workforce team will provide customized training to participating companies on-site. The pilot project will conclude in December, after which it will reassess company data to see what areas have improved, Bryan said.