health

February 8, 2024

Health Care Industry Trends to Watch in 2024

In recent years, the health care industry has been navigating a landscape fraught with volatility. Shifting market demands, supply chain struggles and medical inflation issues have driven many key challenges. In 2024, several additional trends could impact the health care sector. These include labor shortages propelled by demographic shifts and changing skills requirements; technological advancements...

February 6, 2024

OSHA Proposes to Issue a New Emergency Response Standard

On Feb. 5, 2024, OSHA published a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to issue a new safety and health standard, titled Emergency Response, to replace the existing Fire Brigades standard. The new standard would address a broader scope of emergency responders and include programmatic elements to protect emergency responders from various occupational hazards. OSHA requests...

January 31, 2024

Celebrate American Heart Month With These Healthy Lifestyle Tips

In 1963, the United States designated February as “American Heart Month.” Since then, the medical community has banded together during this annual campaign to raise awareness about heart disease and cardiovascular conditions and provide advice to help Americans reduce their risk of these health issues. How to Keep a Healthy Heart Heart attacks and strokes...

January 24, 2024

OSHA’s Top 10 Most Frequently Cited Construction Standards in Fiscal Year 2023

OSHA maintains records on the most frequently cited standards from worksite inspections for each fiscal year and compiles a list within particular industries. The latest records outline the top 10 standards cited within the construction industry during fiscal year 2023 (October 2022 through September 2023) and the total number of violations for each standard. By...

January 17, 2024

Mitigating Mental Health-Related EPLI Claims

During the past few years, mental health issues such as anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder have been driving more Americans with Disabilities Act charges, according to data from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). In 2022, around 11% of ADA charges were related to anxiety disorders. This is up from 7.6% five years earlier. PTSD-related charges...

January 12, 2024

Driving Down Health Cost Spend in 2024

As business leaders begin budgeting and strategizing for 2024, many are faced with balancing two items when it comes to benefits: ensuring low costs and prioritizing employees’ requests to offer better health benefits. With benefits slated as the second largest people expense for businesses, next to payroll, and health care costs across the nation estimated...

December 18, 2023

 4 Key Trends Driving Employer Health Care Costs in 2024

Amid ongoing inflation pressures, employees and employers alike can expect their health care costs to increase in 2024. Global professional services firm Aon reported that health care costs for employers will grow by 8.5% in 2024 (to more than $15,000 per employee), nearly double 2023’s figure. Here are four key trends driving employer health care...

December 5, 2023

High Health Care Costs Are Impacting Americans’ Physical and Mental Health

More than half of consumers feel stressed when paying their medical bills, and more than 9 in 10 say these payments have impacted their physical and mental health, according to a study from health care payment processing company PayMedix. Unaffordable medical bills, higher deductible health plans and confusing bills have increased physical and mental health...

November 28, 2023

Why Holiday Stress Doesn’t Need to Derail Productivity

While the holidays should be a time of festivities and fun, high expectations paired with the end-of-year work push can cause many employees to feel burned out before the new year even starts.  Forty-five percent of employees are worried about their stress levels during the holiday season, according to mental health platform, BetterHelp. Finances, shorter deadlines,...

November 20, 2023

Fostering a Culture of Workplace Safety

Fostering a strong safety culture provides many benefits. In addition to reducing the risk of workplace accidents, such a culture can also help improve employee morale, enhance a business’s reputation and minimize related costs and liabilities. This article explains what it means to have a strong safety culture, outlines associated benefits and provides strategies companies...