Finger Prick Wellness Testing

 

Facing the Facts

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On average, for every 100 employees:

• 25 have cardiovascular disease
• 6 are diabetic
• 26 have high blood pressure
• 30 have high cholesterol
• 38 are overweight
• 24 are physically inactive
• 44 suffer from stress
• 21 smoke

To put this in perspective, “Cardiac care is costly in Canada. Overall hospitalization costs for each heart attack treated nationally are approximately $9,400.  And the cost of cardiac care is [continuously] rising.” (HCIC, 2010).  

A study conducted by the Health Enhancement Research Organization (HERO) clearly showed that high risk employees result in higher employee health costs.  Even more importantly, it showed that by keeping employees healthy, and by reducing the risk factors affecting high risk employees, employers can save significantly on their health care costs.  To top that, 60% of employees think that their employer has some responsibility when it comes to their health (Canadian Health Index).

 

Why Finger Prick Wellness Testing?

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SureHire is offering a point-of-care (POC) testing system that presents patients with fast and reliable results during a single visit.  We are streamlining the medical process for patients, by removing the need for visits to the laboratory and follow up visits to get the results from their doctor.  In one visit, with one finger prick, we will provide a full lipid analysis, including: total cholesterol, HDL, triglycerides, LDL, a ratio of total cholesterol to HDL and glucose.

We will also measure the patient’s blood pressure, height, weight, and a body composition score based on a combination of their Body Mass Index (BMI) and waist circumference.  This will help to give the patient an idea of their overall health, as well as identify any risk factors that might lead to cardiovascular disease or diabetes.

SureHire supports occupational wellness goals by providing simple, rapid on-site testing, with minimal interruption in work time, and cost savings.  Immediate results allow health professionals to provide counselling that can lead to behaviour changes and healthier lifestyles.

 

Finger Prick Wellness Testing Results

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All equipment and associated materials used for SureHires's finger prick wellness testing have been approved by Health Canada.

SureHire utilizes a point-of-care (POC) blood analyzer that provides patients with immediate results for:

• Complete lipid profile (total cholesterol, HDL, LDL, triglycerides and glucose)
• Liver functioning.  ALT and AST are important liver enzymes tests that are used to help assess liver damage in patients with cardiovascular disease and/or diabetes
  • Both lipid panel and ALT•AST can be tested in one fingerstick

Organizations can use this information for:

• Pre-employment purposes
• Yearly Wellness Program implementation
  • Designed for use with permanent employees, as well as long term construction contractors

The information collected is confidential, and therefore will be distributed:

• To the Employee:
  • Health Screening Result Form
  • Interpretations Manual explaining the tests and results
  • If values are abnormal, a physician’s referral will be provided

• To the Employer:
  • To protect the potential employee’s privacy, the employer would receive notification from SureHire stating whether the results were:
    • Normal (Hire)
    • Abnormal (Hire - Has been referred to a Doctor)
    • Abnormal (Do not hire until medical clearance is been received)