By its dictionary definition, self-care is the pro-active practice of taking action to preserve or improve your own health. And while this sounds like a simple, common-sense practice, if current statistics on increasing stress levels and the negative effects from our faster-than-ever paced society are any indicator, it seems that the vast majority do not practice much, if any, self-care whatsoever.

​Why is Self-Care Necessary?

There is a laundry list of factors that affect our mental well-being, which in turn affects our physical, spiritual, intellectual and emotional health, as has been proven by medical science. With ever-increasing and changing demands on your time, multiple roles to play in your life, higher financial obligations … (to name a few), you are constantly bombarded with reasons to be stressed. According to the American Psychology Association, American citizens are reporting their highest stress levels ever. Stress is one of the leading causes of mental illness, and, in turn, physical health conditions. This is why self-care is more vital to your health than ever before.

In addition, people suffering from mental health issues are twice as likely to have substance abuse problems in comparison to the general population. Mental illness is the leading cause of workplace disability across North America, specifically depression in the United States. And don’t forget that mental illness deeply affects those who care for and/or live with those who are suffering. Self-care is something that benefits everyone.

Health organizations have dedicated several calendar observations to mental well-being and mental illness. For example, May is recognized as “Mental Health Awareness Month” in both Canada and the United States, “Mental Illness Week” is recognized as the first week of October and October 10th is “World Mental Health Day”, recognized globally. More than ever before, your mental health is suffering because of your lifestyle and it is imperative that you care for yourself so that you can live your healthiest, most fulfilling life possible.

How to Practice Self-Care

How often are you giving out advice to your family members, friends and co-workers about how to better take care of themselves, as they confide in you about how stressed they are, how exhausted they are, how there are never enough hours in the day? Now ask yourself this: How often do you take your own advice when you feel overwhelmed and are running on empty?

Coined by healthcare professionals in the 1980’s, the term “self-care” can encompass many things. But according to healthcare and wellness professionals, the following recommendations (complete with supplementary hyperlinks to articles with additional information) are among the best ways to take a proactive approach to your self-care:

• Eat a well-balanced diet and exercise: Taking care of yourself starts with how you fuel your body so that you can use your body to its utmost potential. Remember to always eat a variety of wholesome, vitamin-rich foods, with limited portion sizes, and plenty of water to drink. Your overall health will thank you for it. And keep moving, even when you don’t feel like you have the time. You can always fit in fitness, which does wonders for your mental and physical well-being.
• Remember to stretch: Tension due to stress can affect your vision, cause headaches, create digestive issues and not to mention severe discomfort in your back and shoulders. Stretch every day, and often! Sitting for long periods of time is very damaging to your health. And if your budget (or benefits) permits, try massage therapy. Massage reduces psychological stress but can also reduce blood pressure and help to regulate your heart rate.
• Remove toxic relationships: Create strong boundaries with people in your life who drain you. It is your choice whether you remove them entirely or you put them at a distance, but do not allow people and their problems to interfere with your own well-being. Put yourself first and you will be better equipped to help those closest to you.
• Aromatherapy: Using aromatic oils in the home have been proven to help reduce the feelings associated with stress. Lavender is a popular choice for relaxation, while some prefer the invigorating scent of peppermint. Find one that works for you and burn it in candles, infusers or plug-ins throughout your home.
• Spend time with your pets: Science has proven that pets have a calming effect on you. Taking time to be with your pet, whether on a walk or cuddling on the couch, will immediately improve your emotional well-being, which has far reaching, positive effects on your health.
• Meditation: This method of mental and emotional training is used to cultivate balance and inner well-being. By training your mind to be more aware of your thoughts, thus increasing self-awareness, you can begin to create a shift towards a more streamlined thought process, reducing the chaos in your mind, ultimately changing the way you live. Over time, you become more empowered to manage stress with a clearer, stronger psyche.
• Get more sleep: Quantity and quality of sleep matter. Sleep has a direct impact on your physical and mental health. Experts recommend 8 hours of sleep a night for the average adult. You can read more here about how to start getting more sleep tonight. And if you are limited with nighttime sleep, napping, when done properly, can help keep your brain in top-shape.
• Organize yourself: Studies have shown that by keeping your home and workspace tidy, you immediately feel the gratification of organizing your chaos. By reducing clutter, you can instead focus on the tasks at hand rather than the mess itself. Prioritizing your time and To-Do lists will also bring immediate, positive results. This is a very individual activity, but once you are organized, you will find that more elements of well-being will fall into place.
• Practice Gratitude: Using a Gratitude Journal or Gratitude Jar is an excellent way to remain mindful of things for which you are grateful. This practice releases happy hormones in the brain and helps to cultivate and sustain joyous positivity. The act of writing things down also forces you to relax and take moments out of your day to focus on something good. Recent studies have proven that grateful people are more fulfilled and more at peace within themselves.
• Using mantras: Repeating affirmations, ideally in front of a mirror so that you can see yourself and visualize as you speak, helps to cultivate self-love and compassion. Researchers have proven that the more you repeat something to yourself, the more you will believe it, which has a strengthening and calming effect on your psyche. Start this practice tonight and watch your intentions begin to manifest.
• Detox from digital screens: You are guaranteed to find more time to care for yourself if you begin to make the conscious choice to put down your phone and turn off the television. Mindless scrolling through TV shows or on the Internet (apps like Facebook, for example) swallows up more time than you realize and also prevents you from falling asleep. That precious time could be much better spent on making your life feel more complete.
• Get outside: Exercising indoors is great, but moving your body outside has been proven to scientifically change your body chemistry, releasing more happy endorphins and significantly improving your mental clarity.
• Do what you love: When you find those available, self-care moments, spend them doing what you love. Whether it’s coffee with a friend, reading a book, going for a walk with your dog, taking a long, hot bath, painting, enjoying an adult coloring book, reading the newspaper … use your down time for you. This mental re-set better prepares you for handling your daily tasks.
• Talk to someone: For people who are struggling with more serious mental health issues, it is important to talk to your family doctor and seek professional assistance. There are endless resources out there for you to use, from health coaches to psychotherapists. You should never have to cope on your own if you feel your stress level is unmanageable.

The Ultimate Results

Ultimately, if you practice self-care consistently in your like, you should find the following positive results:

• Increased self confidence
• Stronger feelings of fulfilment
• Lower blood pressure
• Greater ability to relax and remain relaxed
• Calmer mind
• Able to fall asleep faster
• Feel physically and emotionally stronger
• Weight loss
• Better able to live in the moment
• Stronger immune system
• Increased productivity in the workplace and at home
• Feelings of happiness and joy

Through the practice of self-care, you should ultimately feel more resilient, better able to adapt to change and mentally equipped to manage stress. Remember self-care as a vital part of your health regimen and your overall health will be significantly improved. 

T’is the season … Cold and flu season, that is! With fall comes the prime time for a flu shot, as cold and flu season begins. Medical professionals recommend getting your flu shot by mid-October, in order to be prepared for the inevitable influx of cold and flu illnesses that last anywhere from October to May!
In addition to the flu vaccine, there are several things you can do to help prevent cold and flu from sidelining you this season. From simple daily routines to what you should eat, the following are ten tips to help protect you and your family this season …

Build your Immune System Naturally

It is important for your health to eat nutritious, wholesome food year round. But during cold and flu season, it is more important than ever to ensure that you include immunity boosting foods in your daily diet. Some foods that are rich in nutrients with an aim to ward off illness include:

• Citrus fruits: Vitamin C rich fruits, such as oranges, grapefruits and lemons, are known to contain powerful antioxidants, which help to keep your immune system strong. One of the most powerful of these is the antioxidant quercetin, which has been shown to prevent the spread of rhinovirus – the most common cause of the cold.
• Garlic: Garlic contains sulphur compounds which help to fight off disease. Garlic also contains antimicrobial and antiviral properties which can help to keep a cold at bay. This is an easy ingredient to add to many meals throughout the colder months.
• Chicken noodle soup: This soup contains several healthy nutrients, including onions, carrots, garlic and chicken, which is a great source of carnosine – an anti-inflammatory antioxidant that prevents viral infections from replicating and spreading inside cells. Eating hot soups can also help to loosen mucus, subsequently alleviating congestion and a sore throat.
• Tomato soup: High in vitamin C, tomato soup is another excellent choice to alleviate symptoms associated with a cold or flu.
• Cranberries: Cranberries and cranberry juice are high in antiviral properties, vitamin C and the flavonoid quercetin. In a recent study from the University of Florida, researchers found that subjects who drank cranberry juice reported fewer cold-like illnesses than those who did not.
• Dark chocolate: Dark chocolate is rich in the phytochemical theobromine, which researchers have found more effective than codeine in relieving a nagging cough. Theobromine works by blocking the nerve reaction that causes the cough reflex.

Drink Green

Eating healthily can be complimented by drinking healthily too. There are many different kinds of herbal teas that can keep colds and flu at bay this season. Green tea, chamomile tea (proven to help increase antibacterial activity) and Echinacea (with strong antioxidant and antiviral properties), to name a few, are excellent choices in place of traditional tea or coffee this winter. Keeping yourself hydrated is key while trying to stay healthy. Drinking plenty of water is just as important in the winter as it is during the hot summer months.

Supplementation

• Ginseng: Research suggests that by taking North American Ginseng throughout the cold and flu season, you can lessen your symptoms when you get sick, and that this herb can help to prevent illness altogether.
• Zinc: Zinc has been proven to help speed up recovery time from colds and flu. It is important to start taking zinc promptly after you start to feel symptoms of being sick.
• Probiotics: When taken regularly, probiotics can help to reduce the regularity of upper-respiratory tract infections. They are also proven to help synchronize immune function.
• Oil of Oregano: If you can handle the strong flavor, oil of oregano is a valuable addition to any cold and flu prevention routine. This oil contains carvacrol, a powerful antioxidant with antimicrobial properties. But as with all essential oil usage, you are best to consult a medical professional before starting any kind of regime.

Personal Hygiene

Wash your hands, and often! Handwashing is scientifically proven to be one of the simplest ways to protect yourself against germs that can cause cold and flu. Be sure to wash your hands properly, in between all fingers, and thoroughly, for at least 20 seconds. Carrying around hand sanitizer at this time of year is always a good idea too. Try to avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth, especially while you are out and exposed to more germs. Research shows that maintaining your oral health is also a key component of your overall health. There have been direct links found between oral disease and heart disease, diabetes and respiratory illnesses, the latter of which can greatly impact a cold or flu. The American Dental Association recommends brushing your teeth at least twice a day, followed by flossing, within thirty minutes after meals.

Prioritize Sleep

Getting enough sleep is paramount to your overall health, most especially that of your immune system. Science proves that those who sleep adequately have a much higher resistance to the cold and flu virus than those who do not make sleep a priority. Sleep deprivation can lead to depression, increases in mood swings and weight gain, all of which affect your immune health. If you cannot get enough sleep at night, naps are also a great way to keep your immunity strong, provided you nap no longer than 30 minutes at a time, otherwise you are interfering with a good nights’ sleep later on.

Keep Active

Despite the weather, it is important to remain active during the colder fall and winter months. Maintaining your cardiovascular health will support your immune health. Keeping active also does wonders for your mental health, warding off stress and providing an outlet for anxiety and frustration. There is a proven connection between chronic stress and physical illness. Exercise, as well as meditation, has a wide array of benefits, including reducing inflammation and through increased circulation, both of which help to fight the common cold. On days when time is more limited, and a full-body workout is not possible, simply stretching for a few minutes in the morning and in the evening can make a big difference.

Reduce Consumption of Sugar and Alcohol

Cutting back on refined sugar is always a good health practice, but most especially during the winter months. Consuming 75-100 grams of refined sugar, which is the equivalent of two cans of pop, reduces your body’s ability to fight off viruses and significantly lowers your body’s immune efficiency. Alcohol is high in sugar as well and is best avoided while trying to maintain maximum immunity. New research suggests that drinking alcohol can harm dentric cells, a key regulator of the immune system. For this reason, those who drink more often can be more susceptible to viral infections, which is why vaccines are less effective for those who have an addiction to alcohol.

Remain Mindful

Some of the best ways to keep healthy come down to common sense: Remember to wash your hands, remember to sneeze into your sleeve, wash your hands after you blow your nose, try not to touch public door handles and railings, wipe down your shopping cart handle with a wipe before you use it, or use sanitizer after you use one, clean surfaces in your home and office with antibacterial wipes often, don’t put your purse on the floor anywhere … be mindful of where germs lurk and do your best to avoid them.
 
Don’t Smoke

Quitting smoking is the best choice for your health, regardless of time of year. But exposure to smoke weakens the immune system, dries out nasal passages and harms the tiny hairs in your nose that are responsible for sweeping cold and flu viruses away from your respiratory system.

Get the Flu Shot

Last but definitely the most important way in which you can protect yourself against the flu: Get your flu shot as soon as possible! Medical experts recommend getting the flu shot in early fall, in order to give your body time to produce the required antibodies to fight off influenza. The earlier you protect yourself, the greater your level of protection. But it is never too late during the season. You can read about what you need to know for this year’s flu season here.

To request your free quote to arrange your workplace flu shot clinic, contact Midland Health today.

Collagen is so much more than just a beauty product. It is vital to our overall health, both inside and out. But what exactly is this wellness buzzword all about and how do we use collagen to boost our health regimen?
In the Midland Health blog post entitled Six Top Wellness Trends for 2018, we stated that collagen would emerge as a key ingredient to healing our digestive systems, particularly as its use in bone broth rose to popularity last year, and that there had been a recent 250% increase in demand for collagen-based wellness products.

So what exactly is collagen? How can you benefit from collagen and is it the right choice for you? How can you encourage collagen production in your body? If you are a vegetarian, can you still boost your body’s collagen levels without consuming animal products? And why is vitamin C important in this process?

1) What is collagen?

Collagen is the structural protein in all connective tissues of the human body, such as muscles, bones, tendons and skin. Collagen makes up 70% of the protein in your skin and 90% of bone matrix proteins. Your body relies on collagen to stay strong and flexible.

Your body naturally produces collagen but after the age of 30, the body’s production of this vital protein reduces dramatically. By the age of 50, the supply within the average, healthy human body can be depleted by as much as half. This is due to a number of factors, including sun exposure, high sugar intake, smoking and poor diet. When collagen is lacking, the body cannot rejuvenate as easily, preventing the body from fighting off illness, wear and tear, and subsequently, the signs of ageing are much more severe. It is very important to provide your body with the nutrients it requires to produce collagen.

2) What are the benefits?

An increasing body of research suggests that collagen has numerous health benefits, and not just for younger looking skin and longer nails. Collagen aids in joint health, heart health, bone regeneration, helps to regulate blood sugar, reduces hypertension, increases immunity to disease, aids in digestion, boosts metabolism and helps to ease aches and pains associated with wear and tear on the body.  

Doctors recommend collagen supplements for health conditions such as osteoarthritis, rheumatism, diabetes, to improve circulation, bone health and tendons, muscle repair, and even for sexual health and improved skin. Studies have shown that collagen significantly eases joint pain, particularly after exercise.  

However, if you are looking for a protein supplement, collagen alone is not going to help you. It is not a complete protein, because it only contains 8 out of 9 essential amino acids, and when taken excessively, it can cause digestive issues. It is important to recognize your individual requirements, to understand whether you need collagen for joint pain or a complete protein to help build lean muscle and recover well after working out.

3) What should you eat to boost your collagen production?

Bone broth is the richest source of collagen, because you are essentially eating collagen that has been cooked. Omega-3 rich foods contain essential amino acids and help to protect the fatty membrane that surrounds skin cells, thus supporting collagen production. These include salmon, tuna, grass-fed meat and fish oil. Dark, leafy-greens help to prevent the breakdown of collagen through rich antioxidants, as do a variety of berries. Red vegetables (such as tomatoes and red peppers), rich in lycopene, help to boost collagen production, and orange vegetables (such as carrots and sweet potatoes), rich in vitamin A, help to restore damaged collagen. You should also include garlic in your diet, as it is an excellent source of sulphur, which is an important part of collagen production.

4) Can Vegetarians benefit?

Early studies show that those who benefit most from collagen supplements are those who have little or no meat in their diet. There are plenty of vegetarian foods with collagen-boosting nutrients.
Initially, bone broth was the leading source for collagen in your diet. Sourced from meat, poultry and fish, the protein could be extracted during the soup-making process in the form of a gelatinous substance. That gelatin could then be used in other dishes, including many desserts.
Finding the best vegetarian food sources to support collagen production depends on their key nutrients. For example: foods rich in the amino acids proline, which makes up 23% of collagen (such as Swiss cheese and egg whites), lysine (an essential amino acid) and arginine (such as tofu, kidney beans, quinoa, tempeh) are a great source, as are foods containing copper trace minerals (such as kale, mushrooms, sesame seeds and cashews), zinc (such as pumpkin seeds, cooked chickpeas, wheat germ and cocoa powder) and vitamin C rich foods (see below).

5) Why is vitamin C important?

Vitamin C is essential for collagen production. Without it, your bones cannot properly make collagen or the required connective tissues within the body. Subsequently, your joints wear down as tendons weaken, without collagen replacement taking place.

The reason collagen aids in heart health is because arterial plaque requires vitamin C and the amino acids proline and lysine – the same two amino acids required for collagen. If your body is using these to make collagen, it decreases the amount available to form arterial plaque. Collagen also helps to provide elasticity to blood vessels, preventing hardening of the arteries. By supporting healthy collagen production, you are automatically supporting the health of your cardiovascular system.

The human body is not capable of producing vitamin C naturally and so you must rely on food sources and/or supplementation. Foods rich in vitamin C include broccoli, cauliflower, tomatoes, kale, green and red peppers, Brussel sprouts, kiwi and oranges, to name a few powerhouses.
​
Speak to your health care provider to determine whether collagen supplementation is right for you. 

The benefits of cannabis continue to make controversial headlines in the arena of wellness and medicine. But with more doctors, scientists and consumers experiencing the many surprising benefits of CBD, oil specifically, it is likely a matter of time before it becomes a federally regulated component of your wellness selections.
 
What is CBD?

Cannabidiol (CBD for short) is a naturally occurring cannabinoid derived from the cannabis plant. It is one of over one hundred cannabinoids identified in hemp plants. However, unlike the full cannabis plant, CBD does not contain THC which is responsible for the stoned/high feeling that the recreational drug provides. Extracted from the flowers and buds of the hemp plant, CBD is being pressed into oil and is increasingly popular to treat, and even prevent, a wide array of health issues in states where medicinal marijuana has now been legalized. CBD oil is stronger and more natural than most non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).
 
Since the Chinese first utilized marijuana for medicinal purposes in 2900 BC, many civilizations have utilized its benefits, for an array of medical conditions.
 
Most Popular Befit Backed by Science: Pain Management

CBD oil is widely regarded as an effective product to treat and manage pain. The endocannabinoid system is a specialized system in the human body that aids in the regulation of sleep, appetite, the immune system and pain response. These naturally produced endocannabinoids are neurotransmitters that bind to cannabinoid receptors in the body’s nervous system. CBD can help to reduce chronic pain by impacting this receptor activity, thus reducing inflammation and interacting with neurotransmitters. Currently, research is underway to determine the extent to which CBD can help with conditions such as arthritis and multiple sclerosis.
 
Groundbreaking Research: Brain Health

The Alzheimer’s Association estimates that by 2050, nearly 14 million Americans will be diagnosed with the disease and it will cost the nation $1.1 trillion. A recent article published by MBG Health highlighted recent research into CBD oil and its benefits for brain health, specifically to protect the brain from diseases such as Alzheimer’s and dementia, because it can help to prevent free radical damage, reduce inflammation and not only to protect the cells in the brain but to help generate new ones. This is also part of the reason why CBD is increasingly popular for patients suffering from seizures.
Studies are still under way to determine whether CBD can benefit those suffering from epilepsy and multiple sclerosis. Because CBD hosts strong antioxidant (stronger than vitamins C and E), anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective properties, it is widely recognized as a natural way to promote brain health and overall wellness. Earlier this year, the FDA advisory panel unanimously approved a CBD-based medication to treat two rare forms of childhood epilepsy.
 
Heart Health and Blood Pressure

New research this year, published by the American Society for Clinical Investigation, has indicated that CBD may be an effective, natural treatment to lower high blood pressure. One study revealed that using CBD oil reduced resting systolic blood pressure and stroke volume in subjects who were exposed to stress. Researchers concluded that the anxiety regulating properties of CBD were responsible for the decrease in blood pressure, which ultimately supported heart health. The anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties in CBD oil can also help to prevent heart related illnesses. 
 
Support for Cancer Patients

There is increasing research that supports the efficacy of CBD oil in treating some symptoms related to cancer treatment, such as nausea and pain. In a recent study, patients who were undergoing chemotherapy used CBD oil and found it helped to reduce the side effects of chemo, particularly feelings of nausea. The majority of these patients also reported that CBD helped lessen their discomfort and pain.
 
Sleeplessness and Anxiety

CBD oil has been safely used to treat anxiety, including sleeplessness and PTSD. CBD has the ability to act on the brain’s receptors for serotonin, a neurotransmitter that helps to regulate mood and social behavior. It is similar to anti-depressants, only more natural. You must be careful to use only CBD oil to treat any anxiety-related conditions, as any traces of THC can increase anxiety and have the reverse of the desired effect.
 
Other Benefits

Research suggests that CBD oil may be used to treat acne. This is due to its proven efficacy in treating inflammation and its ability to reduce the production of sebum and prevent the activation of small secreted proteins called cytokines. CBD-based products are popping up in many sexual health products and skin care products too, as they become a more natural solution to maintaining healthy, young-looking skin. Research is also underway for CBD’s effects on arthritis, allergies and other respiratory illnesses, and cancer prevention, to name a few.
 
The proven efficacy of CBD oil to treat inflammation comes mostly from animals at this point, however, as more scientific evidence suggests that CBD aids in the prevention of inflammation-related diseases, this is becoming a more widely accepted view.  
 
The FDA has not yet taken steps to regulate the production of CBD-based products, and there is much research to be done on safe interactions between CBD and other medications. However, with more and more clinical trials underway and an increasing number of success stories reaching the masses, it is likely that CBD oil will become a more readily available and more widely accepted part of healthcare.
 
You should always consult your doctor before entertaining the idea of adding CBD to your health regimen.

Telehealth care, defined as the provision of healthcare through telecommunications, is quickly rising in popularity, particularly in the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States. With an aim to reduce individual healthcare costs and improve healthcare access, increase employee productivity and satisfaction, more companies are using telehealth services for their corporate wellness programs, whether by phone or on-line video systems.
 
According to Forbes, in 2017, 75% of large U.S. based companies offered their workforce access to virtual health care compared to 48% in 2016. Today, there is an evolving precedent that is redefining how employee health is prioritized in the modern workplace.
 
In Canada, telehealth services are becoming the first choice for many patients seeking help for mental health issues, where licensed therapists are more readily available through a robust mental health platform on-line, particularly Skype or FaceTime.
 
The reasons for using telehealth are obvious: There are little, if any, wait times when going on-line for medical advice – you don’t have to wait for a doctor to be accepting new patients, nor do you need to take the time to drive to the office and wait to be seen (also avoiding the germs that reside there!); you can use the services from anywhere you are - as well the services can be offered anywhere which can include remote communities where doctors are sparse; and telehealth encourages patients to be more involved in their overall healthcare, through widespread adoption methods and enabling better management of health records, fewer hospital stays, less prescription medications and reduced absenteeism from the workplace.
 
All of these reasons appear to suggest that telehealth care is more efficient than face-to-face healthcare, but is that really the case?
 
The Pros for Telehealth Care

• Medical experts estimate that more than half of health-related diagnoses do not require in-person care. From this standpoint, telehealth can help to keep waiting rooms open to patients who truly require them. So to those who argue that telehealth sacrifices quality for convenience, the counter-argument can be made that telehealth aids in better quality, and expediency, of face-to-face health care through weeding out unnecessary patients who cause a back-log in the system.
• Telehealth essentially enables patients to receive triage-style healthcare at the touch of a button, providing the starting point for any additional medical assistance. This also alleviates the need to visit a doctor should this initial consultation prove it to be unnecessary.
• Not all workplaces have the financial capability to host on-site wellness systems and telehealth care provides the framework to incorporate additional support for employee health at the comfort of their own desk, in private, with no additional financial nor spatial requirements on the part of the employer. Telehealth reduces absenteeism from work, promotes trust and boots productivity in the workplace.
• The purpose of the telehealth option is to provide a consultation service, which makes it a popular choice for those seeking mental health assistance or specialist referrals where the medical assistance is conversation-based.
• The integration between telehealth services and a company’s insurance provider saves hours of paperwork for Human Resources staff, as the on-line services can coordinate all claims administration, expense work and tracking.
• Currently, every U.S. state offers some form of coverage for telehealth care, either through Medicaid or through requirements for private insurance providers.

​The Cons against Telehealth Care

• Telehealth care is still a relatively new model and both the knowledge about the systems and their availability is unfamiliar to most. Software Advice conducted a survey of medical consumers in 2017 and found that 72% of patients did not know whether their medical insurance covered telehealth care and 83% of those polled had never used these types of services. However, 77% said they would prefer a medical provider who did offer these services.
• It is likely you would not see the same medical practitioner each time you used a telehealth-based system, preventing any form of a relationship between doctor and patient.
• While telehealth is a good supplement to traditional health care, it cannot yet replace the value of a face-to-face doctor’s visit as there is no physical exam.
• While telehealth options are very user-friendly, there are still many people who prefer not to use modern technologies for essential services (such as on-line banking or e-mail), and they still feel more secure using face-to-face health care services.

Overall, when it comes to workplace wellness programs, as we embrace more available technologies, offering telehealth options to your employees is a positive, supplementary way to support the overall health and wellbeing of your workforce. Both the workplace and insurance companies need to circulate information about the availability and value of these programs. Pairing the benefits of telehealth with the support of an on-site wellness program is a win-win for all.
 
Read more about how to create an award-winning Workplace Wellness Program here.