Health forum to address wellness, cost initiatives

The 2009 NHBR Health Care Forum, focusing on the strategies used by progressive companies to keep employees healthy and productive while controlling costs, will be presented Tuesday morning, Oct. 20, at The Event Center at C.R. Sparks, Bedford.

Presented by MVP Health Care, the NHBR Health Care Forum is designed for chief executives, chief financial officers, business owners, health benefit administrators and human resources professionals. It will feature presentations by Gary Hirshberg, chief executive of New Hampshire-based yogurt maker Stonyfield Farm, Tom Oksanen, senior vice president of employee benefits for Fidelity Investments, and Peter Hayes, director of associate health and wellness for Hannaford Bros. Co.

Hirshberg will discuss his firm’s commitment to healthy food, overall wellness and preventative health. He also will speak about why he and others are making significant investments in wellness initiatives and the new collaboration between the food and health care industries.

Oksanen will address the policy and programs needed for managing benefits and costs in challenging times. He’ll talk about the programs Fidelity has put in place , including incentives for employees to take personal responsibility for their own health and well being and how it ties into long-term health-care cost management.

Hayes will speak about why health-care costs matter in a global marketplace, how nutrition and food choices are playing a more critical role in overall health-care cost management and the programs and incentives Hannaford has put in place for its employees and customers.

The morning will conclude with a roundtable discussion and question-and-answer session.

Sponsors of the event are Northeast Delta Dental, Concord Hospital, Gallagher Callahan & Gartrell, Granite Group Benefits LLC and Ocean Bank.

The event will run from 7:30 to 10:30 a.m., starting with a full breakfast and networking. Cost is $20 per person.

To register, visit http://www.nhbr.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?Category=EVENTS02. — JEFF FEINGOLD/NEW HAMPSHIRE BUSINESS REVIEW