Lockheed Martin Idaho National Engineering Laboratory
Occupational Medical Program 

Program Description

The Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL) Occupational Medical and "Living Well" Health Programs are an excellent model of how to successfully integrate an occupational medical program with health promotion and employee assistance programs. Initiated in 1991, the "Living Well" program is a comprehensive employee health promotion program that serves over 8,000 private and public sector employees in a unique multi-corporate multi-site model. Some of the major accomplishments of the OMP program include: a reduction in workers' compensation losses saving over 1.7 millions dollar in four years; a 50% reduction in inpatient admits and in-patient hospital days; a 83% reduction in lost and restricted days; a 60% drop in the severity index; a 51% drop in worker's compensation loss ratios; a 9% drop in the smoking rate; and the development of an innovative in-house health risk assessment. In addition, the program has met or exceeded thirty-four major targets and objectives outlined by the Healthy People 2000 project that are applicable to occupational worksite settings.

The major goals of the OMP program are:

• Promote good employee health and reduce risk factors through the application of preventive health measures. 
• To protect and enhance the mental health of all employees 
• Protect employees from health hazards in their work environment. 
• Determine ability to return to work after injury or illnesses. 
• Advance self-care medical practices 
• Educate employees on health issues through counseling, resources and programs 
• Ensure the early detection, diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of employees who are ill, injured, or impaired.

Three professional health promotion professionals manage the health education and prevention programs. Four certified employee assistance counselors address the mental needs of the employees, spouses and dependents. Five physicians and fourteen nurses monitor and certify employees fit to work, monitor employees in hazardous work environments and provide acute emergency care. In addition the "Living Well" provides an internship program for graduate students and has a large group of employee volunteers acting as health promotion representatives located at the various facilities.

The following is a sampling of the risk reduction programs and benefits provided to the employees shown to be cost effective at reducing health risks and cost while increasing overall health awareness:

• Free in-house prostate cancer screenings 
• Development of an innovative in-house health 
• Smoking cessation claims costs covered 100% risk assessment for the first six months 
• Company wide smoke-free policy 
• Flu and allergy shots provided 
• Health resource center 
• Healthy alternatives in cafeterias 
• Weight management program 
• Diabetes intervention program 
• Worksite safety audits 
• Acute injury and illness diagnosis and treatment 
• Incentive Programs 
• Routine physical for spouses and dependents covered 100% 
• Monthly health newsletter 
• Education classes and seminars 
• Coverage of home health care 
• Health fairs 
• Cholesterol education 
• Workman compensation case management

Analysis of all occupational injuries and illnesses reveal that the recordable case rate for the INEL is sixty percent lower than the national average established by the National Safety Council and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The reduction in case rate can be attributed to the emphasis placed on health and safety awareness, identification of hazardous work conditions, ergonomics audits by the physicians and the organizational changes that has occurred over the past four years.

In 1992, the smoking cessation program was launched, by announcing a six month transition to a smoke-free work environment. A weight management series was developed especially for smokers. In addition to implementing a strict company no-smoking policy, a series of self-help smoking materials were provided to those individuals who chose or contemplated quitting. Baseline data indicated that the smoking rate was already below national averages at 21% but that rate had been reduced further over the past four years to below 14%. Comparisons of groups that availed themselves of the health risk assessment program and subsequent health counseling versus a control group showed that in the intervention group the smoking rate was reduced by 12% where the control group remained unchanged.

In addition to being a recipient of the 1996 C. Everett Koop National Health Award, the INEL OMP Health Promotion program has received the 1996 Association for Worksite Health Promotion Business and Industry Award, the 1995 Innovations in Health Care Award, and the 1994 National OPM Director's Award for Outstanding Employee Health Services Programs.

For more information, contact: 

Evan L. Thomas, Ph.D. 

Director, INEL OMP Health Promotion 

Lockheed Martin Idaho Technologies Co. 

P.O. Box 1625 

Idaho Falls, ID 83401-3125 

(208) 526-6929 

EVT@INEL.GOV

The Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL) Occupational Medical and "Living Well" Health Promotion Programs are an excellent model of successfully integration of a occupational medical program with a health promotion program. Initiated in 1991, the "Living Well" program is a comprehensive employee health promotion program that serves over 8,000 private and public sector employees in a unique multi-corporate multi-site model. Some of the major accomplishments of the OMP program include: a reduction in workers' compensation losses saving over 1.7 million dollar in four years; a 5.1 million dollar savings in medical claims costs; a 50% reduction in inpatient admits and in-patient hospital days; a 83% reduction in lost and restricted days; a 60% drop in the severity index; a 51% drop in worker's compensation loss ratios; a 9% drop in the smoking rate; and the development of an innovative in-house health risk assessment. In addition, the program has met or exceeded thirty-four major targets and objectives outlined by the Healthy People 2000 project that are applicable to occupational worksite settings.

GOALS

Some of the major goals of the OMP program are:

• Promote good employee health and reduce risk factors through the application of preventive health 
• measures. 
• To protect and enhance the mental health of all employees 
• Protect employees from health hazards in their work environment. 
• Determine ability to return to work after injury or illnesses 
• Advance self-care medical practices 
• Educate employees on health issues through counseling, resources and programs 
• Ensure the early detection, diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of employees who are ill, injured, or impaired.

The OMP program is available to all INEL organizations, and employees. Many of the "Living Well" programs, benefits, and services are extended to spouses and dependents.

NATURE OF INTERVENTION

Considering the geographical constraints and the diversity of the population served, the programs provided are based on proven organizational development and diffusion theory principles that effectively initiate and maintain behavior changes among employees. Currently, the program provides health risk assessments, post-offer and periodical physicals, flu shots, immunizations, return to work evaluations, pre-employment and random drug screenings, allergy shots, health counseling, fitness for duty evaluations, health newsletters, videos, cancer screenings, smoking cessation programs, crisis debriefing, stress management, back care and flexibility programs, ergonomics audits, worksite safety audits, incentive programs, weight management courses, cholesterol education, and self-care programs and material such as Take Care of Yourself and Take Care of Your Child.

STAFFING

Three professional health promotion specialists manage the health education and prevention programs. Four certified employee assistance counselors address the mental needs of the employees, spouses and dependents. Five physicians and fourteen nurses monitor and certify employees fit to work, monitor employees in hazardous work environments and provide emergency care. The "Living Well" provides an internship program for graduate students and has 31 employee volunteers acting as health promotion representatives located at the various facilities.

FUNDING SOURCE

Lockheed Martin Idaho Technologies pays the costs for all physicals, acute medical care, health risk assessments, counseling sessions, incentives, educational material and EAP counseling sessions.

RISK REDUCTION PROGRAMS

The following is a sampling of the risk reduction programs and benefits provided to the employees shown to be cost effective at reducing health risks and cost while increasing overall health awareness.

• Free in-house prostate cancer screenings (PSA and DRE) 
• Mammograms and pap smears covered as routine cancer screenings 
• Smoking cessation covered 100% for the first six months 
• Flu and allergy shots provided 
• Development and use of an innovative and cost-effective in-house health risk assessment 
• Company wide smoke-free policy 
• Health resource center 
• Healthy alternatives in cafeterias 
• Weight management program 
• Worksite safety audits 
• Incentive Programs 
• Routine physical for spouses and dependents covered 100% 
• Newborn well-baby care 
• Coverage of home health care 
• Cholesterol education 
• Stress management 
• Diabetes intervention program 
• Acute injury and illness diagnosis and treatment 
• Monthly health newsletter 
• Education classes and seminars 
• Health fairs 
• Case management

It is the mission of the INEL OMP "Living Well" Health Promotion Program to advance positive health practices that systematically improve the quality of life of all INEL employees through occupational, educational, behavioral, cultural and organizational support.