Evaluating the impact of a health risk management program on employees' health risks, and workers' compensation

Published studies have demonstrated improved employee health and health-related productivity as a result of worksite health risk management (HRM) programs. Less is known about their effects on workers' compensation claims and costs. The purpose of this study is to determine the relationships among health conditions, modifiable behaviors and changes in workers' compensation. Using individual health risk assessments (n=9989) from 208 companies participating in a HRM program, and retrospective workers' compensation data, we analyzed differences in mean workers' compensation claims, costs and lost time. We observed a statistically significant increase in the mean number of workers' compensation claims filed for participants who reported a history of hypertension (0.13, p<0.05) and back pain (0.13, p<0.05). Of participants who reported arthritis, we observed a higher mean cost associated with claims ($246.16, p<0.05), and a greater number of mean lost days (0.25, p<0.05). There were higher numbers of claims filed for those who reported not wearing seatbelts 100% of the time (0.09, p<0.05) and getting less than six hours of sleep daily (0.11, p<0.005). When comparing workers' compensation data one year prior to entering the HRM to the year after entering, we observed a statistically significant reduction in the mean number of workers' claims filed (0.02 decrease, p<0.05), mean medical losses paid on a claim ($23.5 decrease, p<0.05), and total paid on a claim ($28.3 decrease, p<0.05) across the workforce. These findings support the small body of evidence that workplace wellness programs can improve employee health and reduce workers' compensation claims and costs.