Health prevention is hot! Yes, it looks like finally more and more members of the health ecosystem are aware of the importance of health prevention for quality of life.
In Belgium, health prevention at the workplace is becoming pervasive. Startups like Ucount and Emmahealth, but also corporates like Energy Lab or Workplace Options are on this market. And insurers are working to expand their workplace health prevention offerings.
But there are still some gaps in the value chain. A seamless transition from testing, guidance and reintegration for both physical and mental health of employees is not yet common. We need a (virtual) prevention coach, who guides you where and when you need it.
That’s why LifeDojo, an American startup, is so interesting. CEO Chris Cutter lets people put together their own programme, with a focus on stress reduction, healthy eating and physical activity, and ‘happiness’.
Cuttler says he is working on a health system where the primary prevention coach is the first point of contact for health everywhere and always. A prevention coach; a professional having the compentencies and expertise for combined physical and mental health support in all aspects of one’s life will be needed more then ever-before and behind a digital screen.
In Belgium, University College Howest is the only one offering an official bachelor-degree for this type of professional health worker until now. (and I’m happy to be an ambassador for it).
