By George V. Hulme

Nearly every business feels the pinch of rising healthcare costs. New IT-powered solutions can help by focusing on preventive care that improves employee health, reduces lost work time, and drives down costs by reducing both the inappropriate use of medical services and the need for medications associated with many chronic diseases.

A growing number of technology providers and healthcare companies are enabling employees to remotely monitor their health through Internet-ready devices, including blood pressure and glucose monitors, scales and other devices. The employees can then transmit that data to a nurse, doctor, health coach or other medical specialist.

These medical practitioners, in turn, can monitor employees’ health for potential warning signs, such as increases in weight or blood pressure. The patient can then be effectively coached to make swift adjustments before serious health consequences arise. “Healthcare systems work much more cost-effectively when there is an increased, proactive focus on preventive care,” says Justin Belobaba, President and CEO of Healthscreen Solutions, a Toronto-based provider of healthcare software and services.

In fact, one problem with the current healthcare system is that many people wait until they’re sick before visiting a hospital or doctor’s office. It isn’t just a matter of procrastination, either. Unfortunately, that’s the way the healthcare system is set up. “Too often, providers focus on performing surgeries and providing care,” Belobaba says. “They’re not paid for prevention.”