Our self-care guides have been extremely effective in lowering health care costs and absenteeism by reducing unnecessary doctor and emergency room visits. In 26 independent studies involving over 15,000 participants, they have demonstrated an average savings of $83.15 per employee in 8.3 months. More importantly, our self-care guides can save lives as evidenced by the stories below. They are representative of the many case histories we receive.
1) Lowe’s, Mooresville, NC – Distributed Health at Home® to all employees on their insurance plan.
One Sunday, Dr. Don Powell, President of the American Institute for Preventive Medicine, was in the Lowe’s home improvement store in Bloomfield Hills, MI. Jeff Bilbrey, a sales specialist in the plumbing department, was helping Dr. Powell purchase a new kitchen faucet. Without identifying who he was, Dr. Powell asked Jeff if he remembered receiving a copy of Health at Home® and, if so, had he used it. Jeff replied, “Not only did I use the guide, it saved my life.” Dr. Powell asked him how.
“One evening about 11/2 years ago, I was experiencing stomach pain and vomiting. When the symptoms persisted until the next morning, I used Health at Home® to determine what I should do. The guide stated that with my symptoms, I should see a doctor which I promptly did. My doctor said my body’s systems were shutting down and I was diagnosed with acute pancreatitis. Within one hour, I was hospitalized for the condition and spent 30 days in intensive care. My physician said I would have died had I not been treated when I was. When Dr. Powell identified himself, Jeff said, “Your book saved my life.”
2) Fairview Health System, Minneapolis, MN – Distributed Health at Home® to all 20,000 employees.
A nurse who received the guide writes: “I had been experiencing severe abdominal pain. I consulted the Health at Home® self-care book, called the NurseLine, and was advised to go to the Emergency Room. I was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Luckily, it was caught early and after surgery and chemo, my prognosis is excellent. I credit the book for helping me decide the right thing to do.”
3) Great Clips Salon, West Bloomfield, MI – Kathy Mojet, a stylist at Great Clips Salon, was experiencing heart palpitations and went to see a physician at a local hospital. The doctor did not feel that Kathy’s situation was serious and sent her home. The next day, Kathy was still experiencing the palpitations.
“I looked in Healthier at Home® to see if this physician was correct with his diagnosis and also the right one for me. After reading the sections on Heart Palpitations and Choosing a Health Care Provider, I realized I did not receive the proper care and went to see another physician. The second doctor diagnosed me with atrial fibrillation and successfully treated me. Had this not occurred, blood clots could have formed in my body and potentially killed me.”
4) Aurora Health Care, Milwaukee, WI – Distributed Healthier at Home® to all 25,000 employees through their Wellness Works program.
Marijo Parsons, pharmacy supervisor at Aurora Sheboygan Memorial Medical Center, thanks the Healthier at Home® Self-Care Guide, her quick action, and first-rate medical care for helping save her husband’s life.
Marijo’s husband, Jay, felt unusual back pain after laying flooring in the couple’s garage. For relief he took Advil and a hot bath. Unable to sleep that evening, Jay noticed pain in his left shoulder and elbow. He got up, sat in a recliner, and felt better.
On the coffee table was a copy of Healthier at Home®. As Marijo sat up with her husband, she paged through the guide. On page 387, she noticed her husband’s symptoms matched those for a heart attack. Using the self-care/first aid section of the guide, she knew exactly what to do.
“You’d better take an aspirin and we’ll go to the emergency department,” Marijo said. Jay had quadruple bypass surgery the following morning.
Thanks to Marijo’s use of the guide and the excellent care Jay received, he experienced a speedy and complete recovery. Not surprisingly, the Parsons are very thankful for their Healthier at Home® Self-Care Guide. “It was a real lifesaver,” she said.
5) Ford Motor Company, Dearborn, MI – Distributed to employees who attended UAW/Ford health fairs.
“My husband initially ignored the chest pain he was having, but after I read Health at Home®, I insisted he go to the emergency room. At the E.R., he was diagnosed with having a heart attack due to advanced coronary artery disease. A triple bypass operation was performed within the hour. Had my husband not received immediate treatment, he would not be alive today. I credit Health at Home® with saving him.”