Workplace wellness solutions: 8 factors to consider

There is a mental health crisis playing out in the United States today, as the number of people grappling with behavioral health issues continues to rise. Today, one in five American adults is living with a mental health condition, which has critical implications for the nation’s employers. Consider this: Mental illness is the single greatest cause of worker disability in the U.S., accounting for 62 percent of missed work days. And depression alone costs employers more than $44 billion per year in lost productivity, with more than 81 percent of that lost productivity happening while the affected employees are present in the workplace. 

Benefits advisors and their employer clients are increasingly recognizing the magnitude of the problem and working to figure out how to incorporate mental health resources as part of overall support for employees. The benefits landscape is rapidly changing, with businesses adding wellness and mental health programs to their employee assistance program (EAP) packages in order to address their employees’ full health spectrum. This “whole health” approach to care is seen as an asset, as it has been proven to reduce costs while enhancing employee performance and productivity.

How digital mental health solutions address treatment challenges in the workplace 

Even when effective treatments are available, there is no easy fix, as many working people with mental health conditions still do not receive care. Part of the reason is the stigma associated with mental illness. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, eight out of 10 employees with mental health conditions say shame and embarrassment prevent them from seeking treatment. Others cite lack of convenient access to care and affordability as barriers. And even when services are made more readily available, many employees report that the process of navigating workplace mental health benefits is too confusing – or too dangerous, in that it may jeopardize their jobs – to pursue.

Related: Addressing mental health in the workplace

In order to overcome these barriers and make mental health care more accessible, many employers are beginning to incorporate digital mental health solutions into their workplace wellness programs. But with today’s marketplace crowded with thousands of digital therapeutic offerings, it can be daunting for companies to find a solution that can deliver the truly meaningful clinical and financial results they desire.

An example of this concept in action comes from Express Scripts, who recently announced its digital health formulary that will include digital and mobile health apps and devices to complement existing treatments. Once the digital health formulary is in place, participating employers and health plans will be able to increase patients’ access to emerging products and technologies. All tools are reviewed by a team of experts who ensure that the products work, provide a user-friendly experience and are worthy of the investment.

For brokers and companies looking to evaluate digital mental health offerings for their own EAP, here are eight factors to consider:

1. Outcomes- What specific and demonstrable outcomes can the company produce, based on significant, lasting clinical change via validated patient reported outcomes, measures and assessments? For reported outcomes, what is the sustained duration? 

2. Cost-effectiveness/ROI – Does the solution demonstrate direct and/or indirect cost savings?

3. Clinical validation and research – Are the solutions evidence based or simply evidence informed? Have they been clinically evaluated with published trial results, including clinically meaningful outcomes in peer-reviewed journals?  Have they been proven in randomly controlled trials?  Is there continued investment in research to validate the solutions’ efficacy?

4. Ease of deployment and ease of use – How quickly can the solution be deployed and in use? How is the satisfaction and engagement of users? Are there measurement metrics to support this? What is the level of user experience and acceptance via multiple devices and delivery mechanisms? What is the level of user engagement over time and across demographics and severity spectrum? 

5. Innovation – Does the company have a clear product road map and is it aligned to your needs? Is it simply a point solution, or one that might grow with long-term requirements and the rapidly evolving modals and best practices of health care? 

6. Data – Does the solution enable you to collect and analyze organizational data to better understand your employees’ needs and how benefits limitations may be impacting your bottom line? 

7. Commercial and clinical strength – What is the company’s track record? How long has the solution been used and by how many customers? What additional industry partnerships does the company have? What industry organizations does the company engage with? 

8. Security /Risk /Privacy- Are there clear data security and privacy policies? Is the solution HIPAA compliant? What security measures are in place for the data collected? Is there a clear user safety and risk protocol, including management, flagging, escalation, and resolution procedures? Is the solution ISO27001 certified? Is there an information governance toolkit? Does the solution have FDA certification? Is there a set of clear design, quality, manufacturing, product management and maintenance best practices?

Digital mental health solutions can offer significant benefits for brokers and companies seeking to extend mental health care to employees. In addition to being less costly than traditional face-to-face treatments, digital mental health solutions can improve employee health and boost a company’s bottom line. However, it is imperative to ask the right questions before investing in any type of solution.

Bob McCullough has been working with SilverCloud Health as a clinical director for over two years helping to implement their clinically validated mental health platform for diverse populations.  He continues to teach as an Adjunct Profession in Social Sciences at Missouri Baptist University.  Prior to SilverCloud, Bob was a director at Magellan Health and oversaw clinical operations for CIGNA Healthcare.