New Brunswick-based "Software as service" provider AnyWare Group originally developed its ROAM (role-oriented access management) software so that health-care organizations could allow employees to connect into their systems from anywhere, on any kind of equipment, via internet hook-up. This enabled doctors, nurses, technicians, administrative staff – anyone to whom the organization gave secure access – to view employee records, test results and so on from off-site locations.

Health-care workers found it so useful, they urged their organizations to allow patients to be able to access some of their pertinent health-care information and, more important, to be able to update and/ or track some of their own key data. In this way, for instance, diabetics could track their daily blood sugar levels and those with high blood pressure could monitor their readings.

It’s estimated that chronic diseases cost employers billions of dollars annually in lost productivity. Employees can reduce this cost by decreasing their risks of developing such a disease. One of the largest risk factors for most chronic diseases is inactivity and obesity. Therefore, by increasing one’s activity and managing one’s weight an  employee will reduce his or her burden on employers. Employers that work with employees to provide assistance in this area will realize the great financial benefit and have healthier employees to boot! So, it wasn’t a large step for the AnyWare Group’s health-care organizations to realize the potential for using the ROAM system to help employees monitor and manage their fitness and wellness levels.

So, Saint John, N.B.-based AnyWare Group recently launched a ROAM-based wellness solution, with which employers enable their employees to take a more proactive other things, employees can:

• access educational materials on a variety of health-related materials;
• ask questions of their peers, nurses, or doctors;
• run friendly contests among their peer group; and
• track their activity levels.

The AnyWare employee wellness solution allows employees to find answers to their questions when they need them. It also allows employees to set personal goals and track their progress. Employees are able to provide support to other co-workers or seek support for concerns they may have.

Employers using the wellness solution can recognize employees who are living an active, healthy lifestyle. Employers can look for areas where employees are asking for information or training and offer it in a timely manner, thereby increasing effectiveness. Employers can make the changes fun for employees by creating motivational campaigns and programs for employees to participate in.

This year, the Atlantic Health Sciences Corporation (AHSC) celebrated  Valentine’s Day by becoming the first regional health authority to use the employee wellness tool, which it launched at the regional health authority’s sixth "Feeling Good" Wellness Expo. Staff and physicians logged their daily activity and earned points for time spent. The results will pave the way for ongoing corporate challenges, such as Beat the Boss (where employees raise their activity level to earn more points than the CEO).

After the expo, the tool became accessible to employees through AHSC’s secure web portal, which encourages users to track their activity level on an ongoing basis. The ultimate goal is to increase employees’ health awareness and encourage lifestyle changes.

AHSC administrative director Jill Barton McPhee says the hospital was surprised and pleased with the response to their fair, and to the wellness tools. Some 400 attendees signed up to "Beat the Boss." Now, other locations within the AHSC group have asked to host the Wellness Expo, and the wellness tool, so their staff can have first-hand access as well.

For more information on the wellness tool, visit www.anywaregroup.