The pandemic has had a detrimental effect on the mental health of all Americans, with the Kaiser Family Foundation reporting 45% of American adults are experiencing increased anxiety and depression.

The new Vanderbilt Health website now features an out-of-pocket cost estimator for many hospital and professional services offered by Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC). Patients type their desired health services or procedures into the new online tool, and it will immediate generate estimates on any out-of-pocket charges they will owe.

On Friday, July 17, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated its guidelines for people who are self-isolating with COVID-19 to prevent transmission of the virus. We look at what the latest recommendations mean for employers.

The pandemic has been difficult for everyone, triggering a decrease in physical fitness and an increase in mental health issues. To prevent physical inactivity and anxiety from cascading to greater health problems, now is the time to motivate employees to reach a higher bar in terms of their physical health and well-being.

As part of their video series on dealing with the pandemic, Vanderbilt Health infectious disease experts Dr. William Schaffner and Dr. Tom Talbot discuss the latest health and safety guidance.

The number of employees without a primary care provider (PCP)—as high as 16% to 20% of the total population, according to one major health insurance payer—has long been a challenge for HR leaders. The Vanderbilt Health Employer Solutions team offers a few ideas for helping your employees connect to a PCP.

Receiving a cochlear implant can be a life-changing experience, says David Haynes, MD, professor of Otolaryngology, Neurosurgery, and Hearing and Speech Sciences at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Dr. Haynes talks about MyHearingHealth, a new Vanderbilt Health bundles program that provides employees with simplified access to cochlear implant surgery.

The Vanderbilt Health Employer Solutions team is supporting local businesses with back-to-work health and safety policies, insights from a local business leader, best practices for contact tracing, and survey data to assist in 2021 health plan decision-making.

Ryman Hospitality Properties recently reopened some of its businesses using health and safety guidance provided by Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC), which was named its wellness advisor in May. We talked to Shawn Smith, Vice President of Human Resources, about what the company has learned in the first weeks of opening with revised operating standards and enhanced cleaning procedures.

The Metro Public Health Department order mandating masks or face coverings is in effect as of Sunday, June 28. The mandate comes as Nashville and Tennessee have seen a recent increase in COVID-19 cases. Vanderbilt Health Employer Solutions supports the use of masks to help reduce the spread of the virus, and we encourage all businesses to follow the Metro Public Health Department guidelines.