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PRESIDENT’S
MESSAGE

Holiday Greetings
from the President!

By Dr. Jayesh Shah, 2016 BCMS President

I am humbled and honored by the opportunity that was bestowed the first few years, followed by a 2 percent decrease last year.
on me to serve as the President of this esteemed organization. Years The six major chronic diseases responsible for 75 percent of all
may come and go but whatever changes we as physicians collectively
make should have a positive impact on the future of health care. The health care costs are; high cholesterol, high blood pressure, excess
issues physicians faced yesterday will be different from what they weight, diabetes, asthma, and tobacco use. In the Cleveland Clinic
will face tomorrow and such issues can only be addressed if young program, workers saw a physician or a mid-level provider who mon-
physicians realize the importance of their involvement in organized itored weight, cholesterol, etc., and offered education and counseling
medicine so they can make their voices heard and can recommend for a healthy lifestyle. The Healthy Choice program was voluntary,
changes that are in favor of both the physicians and their patients. but because incentives were huge (i.e. workers who met the goal
could save 28 percent in health insurance premiums) many workers
As we wind up the year, I would like to highlight what we accom- participated in the program. Since 2010, almost 66 percent of work-
plished at BCMS in 2016. But first, I would like to share a program ers with one or more of the six major chronic conditions managed
called “Healthy Choice” developed by the Cleveland Clinic to im- to get them under control, with a majority of them continuing to
prove the future of health care. keep them under control. The incentive system succeeded in chang-
ing behavior. Cleveland Clinic also made changes such as removing
Each individual should be responsible for their own health and unhealthy options and reducing portion sizes in their cafeteria, re-
for shaping their own future. Obesity is one of the biggest drivers moving high sugar snacks and drinks from their vending machines,
of preventable chronic diseases and associated health care costs in adding an onsite fitness center, and providing yoga classes along with
the United States. Health care costs in the U.S. are 20 percent more other health boosting activities.
per capita than the rest of the world and the bottom line is that
health care costs are higher because people are sicker. Many have A few employers across the nation are following this program de-
chronic conditions because of poor lifestyle choices (the problem of signed by Cleveland Clinic and are developing work place wellness
plenty). Even though people know maintaining a healthy weight programs for their employees to decrease health care insurance costs.
and eating healthy are important, it is hard to put this thought into
practice. If we can incentivize healthy behavior, we can control some
chronic conditions and decrease health care costs.

“Healthy Choice” was started by the Cleveland Clinic for its em-
ployees in 2010. The key idea was to give employees incentives to
avoid six chronic medical conditions and, in return, see a decrease
in their insurance premium rates. This program has been a huge suc-
cess. Cleveland Clinic showed a flat-lining of health care costs for

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8 San Antonio Medicine • December 2016