WASHINGTON, DC—APCO Worldwide has launched a prevention and wellness offering to help companies meet social and business objectives in healthcare.

The offering will assist clients in navigating evolving health issues related to infectious disease, chronic disease, and nutrition, and will generate innovative programs that improve the health and quality of life of a company's customers and employees while also delivering financial value. APCO's team will help companies leverage the power of social marketing and community networks, shaping environments that empower people to make particular health choices while also creating competitive advantage.

"In today's health care environment, prevention is the single best method for improving health quality and reducing long-term health care costs," says Robert Schooling, global head of the firm's healthcare practice.

Adds Kirsten Thistle, senior vice president and head of the new prevention and wellness offer, “Policy-makers are increasingly looking to private industry for practical solutions to preventing disease and enhancing nutrition. Companies that can propose these solutions and also connect them to their business strategies are best-positioned for long-term success in a growing and crowded marketplace."

APCO's prevention and wellness team includes Melissa Musiker, former director at the Grocery Manufacturers Association and a registered dietician; Bill Pierce, deputy assistant secretary for public affairs at the US Department of Health & Human Services; Wayne Pines, former chief spokesman and chief of consumer education and information for the US Food & Drug Administration; and Ann Saybolt, a social marketing expert who has advised the Office of National Drug Control, TriCare Management and the National YWCA.