2021 DMEC Virtual Compliance Conference: Using Technology to Support Employees' Behavioral & Wellness

The role technology plays in helping employees recover and return safely to work can also help employers create more effective wellness programs, which is particularly important now with the lingering impacts from COVID-19. To help your workforce recover and return to work, it’s important to understand both the physical and mental conditions someone may be facing, and develop strategies for prevention and intervention.

Text mining is one way tool that can be used to identify employees who may need extra behavior health support and services to aid their recovery from a disability. This targeted technology picks up on certain “flags” in claims communications and other correspondence that can trigger a referral for additional support. Complementing that technology — and even in the absence of it — is the need to ensure that managers have the education and awareness to understand the signs as well. This session provided an overview of the effects of behavioral health issues on absence durations, how text mining works, and best practices for identifying common issues to support your training and wellness programs.