For decades, employers have partnered with organizations to deliver programs that improve the health of their employee population—but how do employers know if their partner is delivering the best health and wellness programs for the population?
NCQA’s Wellness and Health Promotion Accreditation program evaluates whether wellness and health promotion organizations incorporate industry best practices and apply evidence-based methods to programs that support health and improve outcomes.
What Is Wellness and Health Promotion Accreditation?
NCQA’s Wellness and Health Promotion Accreditation was developed to provide a framework for evaluating programs that engage individuals in improving their health. Thirteen categories, comprising more than 60 elements, evaluate organizations in areas such as:
- Identification and Targeting: How does the organization identify the needs of its population and target efforts to these individuals?
- Engaging the Population: How does the organization increase health awareness and engage employees in wellness activities?
- Data Integration: Can the organization exchange and integrate data into the operations of the program?
- Measuring Effectiveness: Does the organization measure the quality of its programs and take action to improve?
What Is Certification and How Does It Differ From Accreditation?
Organizations that provide programs for specific areas, such as health coaching, self-management tools or health appraisals, can choose to earn an NCQA Wellness and Health Promotion certification. For example, companies specializing in health coaching may choose to follow the certification standards for health coaching programs. A company with a new app that can help manage a specific chronic condition might want to focus on a self-management certification.
NCQA standards are a roadmap for organizations that are committed to delivering a quality program, regardless of their wellness focus.
What Does WHP Accreditation Mean for Employers?
As employers implement wellness programs, engaging with organizations that have earned NCQA Wellness and Health Promotion Accreditation assures them that their partner is committed to following evidence-based methods for program delivery and employee engagement.
What Should Employers Do?
Employers should determine if the organizations that provide wellness and health promotion programs to their employees are NCQA Accredited. Find information about Accredited plans on NCQA’s Report Cards.
Have a question? NCQA’s Employer Relations Team can help!