Willis Develops Clinical Advisory Board to Help Firms Develop Comprehensive Health Management Strategies – Unique Resource Will Help Firms Reduce Rising Health Care Costs

New York, NY (PRWEB) October 15, 2012

Willis North America’s Human Capital Practice, a unit of Willis Group Holdings (NYSE: WSH), the global insurance broker, today announced its newly formed Willis Clinical Advisory Board. The board is comprised of medical experts that will work in concert with the Human Capital Practice Health Outcomes consultants to provide thought leadership, clinical expertise, product innovation, and evidenced-based guidance and strategies to support Willis clients in addressing rising health care costs.

Developed by Willis in partnership with leading health care organizations and insurers, the Willis Clinical Advisory Board is the only one of its kind in the Human Capital brokerage and consulting space. Willis will leverage the clinical expertise and direction provided by the board to develop tools and strategies to help employers incorporate clinical data with traditional wellness program strategies, to ultimately reduce or contain rising health care costs.

Willis’ Human Capital Practice provides innovative solutions to help organizations manage their human capital risk. To manage the risks associated with the overarching health of an employee population, Willis encourages employers to develop comprehensive health management programs that address the continuum of health across their population, providing programs and support for those employees with low or no health risks, to those with multiple risks factors and/or chronic diseases.

Jim Blaney, CEO, Willis Human Capital Practice, said, “We are very excited to have assembled some of the nation’s leading clinical thought leaders to serve on the Willis Clinical Advisory Board. We know employers struggle with developing and implementing comprehensive health management strategies across the spectrum of employee health risks. The Willis Clinical Advisory Board will provide a critical component needed to operationalize and optimize these strategies. Ultimately, with these types of resources, we believe Willis clients will have a greater probability of achieving sustained health care trend reductions and improved employee productivity.”

Willis will lead and organize the Willis Clinical Advisory Board, which currently includes the following health management leaders:

Richard J. Boxer, MD
Chief Medical Officer
Teladoc

Jeffrey M. Davis, MD, MPH
Medical Director, National Consultant Relations    
Kaiser Permanente

David W. Ellis, MD    
National Medical Director, Customer Analysis and Solutions    
UnitedHealthcare

Thomas J. Van Gilder, MD, JD, MPH    
National Medical Director for Wellness, Health & Productivity Solutions     
Humana

Wendy A. Richards, MD, MBA    
National Medical Director    
Aetna Middle Markets, Small Group, and Individual Business

Phyllis Ruez, MBA    
Director, Employer Client Services
Verisk Health

Edward Westrick, MD, PhD    
Vice President of Clinical Informatics    
Verisk Health

“In assembling the board, we sought to invite industry leading subject matter experts in various areas that surround the issues related to health care cost increases and productivity,” Mr. Blaney said. In addition to providing thought leadership and clinical expertise, the board will conduct Willis client workshops in select markets. “Willis is committed to understanding our clients' needs and we stand ready to deliver the best solutions possible,” Mr. Blaney added.

About Willis
Willis Group Holdings plc is a leading global insurance broker. Through its subsidiaries, Willis develops and delivers professional insurance, reinsurance, risk management, financial and human resource consulting and actuarial services to corporations, public entities and institutions around the world. Willis has more than 400 offices in nearly 120 countries, with a global team of approximately 17,000 employees serving clients in virtually every part of the world. Additional information on Willis may be found at http://www.willis.com.

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