In the past few years Johnson & Johnson has been saving as much as $225 per employee annually due to a health and wellness program it revamped and reintroduced in 1995. Since the program’s reintroduction, the Brunswick, NJ-based company’s domestic employees have had lower incidences of hospital admissions, mental health visits and outpatient services, according to an assessment of the program conducted by Ann Arbor, Mich.-based The MEDSTAT Group. Besides saving the company money, the program benefited participants, who improved in the following areas: lowering cholesterol ratings, decreasing hypertension, quitting cigarette smoking, exercising, avoiding drinking and driving, and increasing fiber intake. MEDSTAT’s Ron Goetzel, vice president of consulting and applied research, told LOHAS Journal Weekly that the areas in which employees fared worse—such as fat intake, weight gain and diabetes—could be attributed to aging.

Johnson & Johnson encourages employees to participate in its prevention-focused program by offering discounts on medical insurance for those who participate in health assessments and attend recommended educational seminars.

“The science of prevention is well-developed,” says Goetzel, who remains skeptical about some complementary medicine. “I’m a scientist, so I need to see the data,” he remarks.