CHICAGO—When it comes to crafting and managing employee benefit plans, it's all about data and analytics, said Delia Vetter, senior director of benefits for EMC Corp.

Ten years ago, when the Hopkinton, Mass.-based developer and provider of software storage technology examined its health care plan, the company didn't have enough data to make good decisions, Ms. Vetter said.

While the company engaged employees to participate in health screenings, the data that was collected often was arbitrary, she said during a speech at a breakfast and networking meeting hosted by Worldwide Employee Benefits Network Inc. in Chicago.

“Health care is a shared responsibility” between employer and employee, Ms. Vetter said.

Long-term program

Realizing the importance to manage its workforce in health literacy, Ms. Vetter set out a long-term program to collect data from all of EMC's health plan providers, such as medical, dental and workers compensation.

Since 2004, EMC has offered once-a-month workshops for employees based on that data, which is collected and stored through a partnership with Ingenix Inc., a division of UnitedHealth Group Inc.

That data then is linked to an employer-sponsored electronic personal health record system powered by WebMD Health Services Group Inc. and shared with employees.

The communication and engagement of health data to employees is vital because “employees trust their employer much more than a health plan,” she said.

$223 million in savings

The information allows EMC to identify particular health issues and offer targeted health care to its employees, Ms. Vetter said.

Ms. Vetter's vision of a connected health care infrastructure promoting efficiency and avoiding redundancy has saved the company $223 million since 2004.

Moving forward, Ms. Vetter is looking to make electronic personal health records medically relevant by including lab reports and imaging capabilities that can interface with hospitals.

Ms. Vetter, Business Insurance's 2011 Benefit Manager of the Year, said the company will continue to invest in technology and data analytics and is considering fostering real-time consultations with physicians via multimedia platforms.