Faced with a rapid increase in the number of caregivers in the workplace, Northeast Business Group on Health (NEBGH) and AARP today launched Supporting Caregivers in the Workplace:  A Practical Guide for Employers. The Guide, the human resources industry’s first publication of its kind, contains a series of tools, resources, and guidance to help employers of all sizes create workplace policies to help support employees who are family caregivers. The Guide is the latest in a series of collaborative workplace caregiving initiatives between NEBGH and AARP.

Northeast Business Group on Health (NEBGH), the employer-led coalition of healthcare stakeholders based in New York, today announced it has named Candice Sherman as Interim Chief Executive Officer. Sherman, currently the organization’s Chief Operating Officer, succeeds Laurel Pickering, who is leaving after nearly 25 years to become Chief Revenue Officer at WellDoc®, a leading digital health company.

“Candice joined NEBGH four years ago as COO and since then has done a terrific job of creating new growth opportunities, managing day-to-day operations and achieving stellar results,” said Michelle Martin, Chair of NEBGH’s Board of Directors. “We are thrilled she has agreed to take on this new role and confident she will provide fresh vision and leadership as well as ensuring that NEBGH continues to serve our membership and fulfill our mission. We are fortunate to have someone like Candice ready to step in, and we look forward to supporting her in every way we can.”

NEBGH’s report is based on research, case studies and a roundtable of benefits managers from 20 national and global self-insured employers. It describes new approaches to musculoskeletal disorder prevention, the treatment of acute and chronic musculoskeletal pain, and high-value surgery for joint replacements, with specific case studies that illustrate employer outcomes. The report says surgery is appropriate only for the smallest segment of an employee population but can drive employer costs significantly.

Caregiving ranks among the top ten employee health and wellness benefits priorities for most employers, says a new survey by Northeast Business Group on Health (NEBGH) in collaboration with AARP. Furthermore, among employers who say caregiving is not a top priority, most are aware of the issue but unable to address it. More than three-quarters of employers surveyed agree that caregiving will grow in importance to their companies over the next five years.

Digital diabetes solutions are not a panacea but can offer employers valuable assistance in combatting diabetes among their populations, says a new report from Northeast Business Group on Health (NEBGH). The report profiles a pilot program begun within a segment of employees at Mount Sinai Health System that integrated Livongo for Diabetes, an interactive blood glucose monitoring system, into an advanced diabetes management program. NEBGH studied the Mount Sinai experience to provide other employers with insights as they consider the use of digital health solutions. Among the opportunities for employers highlighted in the report are significantly enhanced connection and engagement between employees and health services, and timely, secure and convenient collection of data that can lead to improved clinical care.

Employers need to be aware of the potential pay-offs for offering benefits and services that make caregiving an easier burden for employees to bear, says a new report from Northeast Business Group on Health (NEBGH). The report, “The Caregiving Landscape: Challenges and Opportunities for Employers”, says that maximizing productivity, reducing future employee healthcare costs, and competing and retaining talent are among the reasons employers should consider specific policies and services designed to help employees who are providing care to loved ones. Challenges to better supporting these employees include resistance to being labeled as a “caregiver,” the absence of best practices for employers and the need for buy-in from executive management.