Carolina Regional Heart Center's Partnership Program recognizes that the best way to prevent heart disease is through education and risk factor modification. Often, a simple diagnostic test can identify a potentially dangerous condition. A simple, well coordinated employee screening program can identify cardiovascular risk factors and, with proper preventative care, reduce an employer's health care costs.

More and more companies are investing in employee screening and wellness programs to prevent at-risk employees from becoming seriously ill. such programs can lead to other benefits as well:

• Improved employee morale
• Fewer employee injuries
• Reduced sick time
• Increased quality and productivity
• Lower insurance premiums
• Decreased Worker's Compensation costs
• Lower absenteeism rates
• Lower employee turnover

In 2000, heart disease is estimated to cost Americans more than $326.6 billion in health costs, lost wages and productivity.  American business continues to bear the majority of the burden of the cost of a seriously ill employee.  And, even with the focus now on cost containment and managed care, health care costs are still expected to increase.

An employee's heart attack or stroke can impact the employer in several ways

• Lost productivity
• A dramatic increase in health insurance and disability costs
• Absenteeism
• Loss of a valued employee in a tight job market
• Retaining a new employee