Northeast Business Group on Health Releases Guide to Employee-Centric Cancer Care Benefits
NEW YORK, August 21, 2018 – Labeling a cancer diagnosis one of the most complex issues faced by employees and employers alike, Northeast Business Group on Health (NEBGH) today launched “Improving the Cancer Patient Experience: Putting Employees at the Center of Your Cancer Benefits Strategy,” a guide designed to help HR and benefits leaders organize, coordinate and provide the best possible experience for employees and family members with cancer.
“Fear is the single word we hear most often to describe people’s experience with cancer, and benefits leaders are often faced with helping employees navigate this terrain,” said Candice Sherman, CEO of NEBGH. “Employers that are equipped with a better understanding of the cancer experience can facilitate early intervention to achieve the best possible health outcomes and provide a caring experience for employees. We believe this guide will help them create a more coordinated approach to providing benefits that revolves around the employee.”
The guide provides employers with ideas about how to create a “huddle” – a command center that coordinates employee and family medical benefits, cost effective and high-quality care, and social and emotional support. The huddle consists of multiple industry stakeholders including health plans, second opinion and care navigation services, wellness coaches, and disability managers who can provide services and support for an employee or family member stricken with cancer. The idea is to develop a collaborative approach with a high amount of communication and coordination among these “players” so that the employee is not left confused by what benefits may or may not be available, and exasperated by multiple contacts asking for the same pieces of information.
The guide also includes a description of the clinical care aspect of a person’s cancer journey, as well as the benefits navigation and psychosocial and life management complexities that accompany it. The guide provides sample milestones a huddle can use to determine the effectiveness of processes put in place to help ensure that optimal clinical care is received, benefits are offered and understood, and support is provided for emotional, social and life issues.
“Regardless of an employer’s size or the resources they have, benefits leaders can take steps to reduce the amount of stress and confusion an employee dealing with cancer experiences. Simply considering what’s in place in the way of benefits and support from the perspective of the employee will likely lead to improved communication and coordination among vendors as well as enhanced communication to employees,” said Sherman.
The guide is available free of charge to all employers and the public at large. It can be accessed HERE.
About Northeast Business Group on Health
NEBGH is an employer-led coalition of healthcare leaders and other stakeholders with the mission of empowering members to drive excellence in health and achieve the highest value in healthcare delivery and the consumer experience.
Media Contact:
Candice Sherman
NEBGH
212.252.7440 ext. 234
csherman@nebgh.org