George W. Anstadt

Health-related workplace productivity measurement: General and migraine-specific recommendations from the ACOEM expert panel

An establishment of health-related productivity measurements and critical evaluation of health-related productivity tools is needed. An expert panel was created. A literature search was conducted to identify health-related productivity measurement tools. Each instrument was reviewed for: 1) supporting scientific evidence (eg, reliability and validity); 2) applicability to various types of occupations, diseases, and level of severity of disease; 3) ability to translate data into a monetary unit; and 4) practicality. A modified Delphi technique was used to build consensus. The expert panel recommended absenteeism, presenteeism, and employee turnover/replacement costs as key elements of workplace health-related productivity measurement. The panel also recommended that productivity instruments should: 1) have supporting scientific evidence, 2) be applicable to the particular work setting, 3) be supportive of effective business decision-making, and 4) be practical. Six productivity measurement tools were reviewed. The panel recommended necessary elements of workplace health-related productivity measurement, key characteristics for evaluating instruments, and tools for measuring work loss. Continued research, validation, and on-going evaluation of health-related productivity instruments are needed.

Defining total corporate health and safety costs : Significance and impact: Review and recommendations

This is the first in a series of studies designed to assist directors of occupational health and safety services in defining, measuring, predicting, and integrating total health and safety costs into useful management information. This study was structured to review recent literature on health and safety costs and to categorize costs as either direct or indirect. This delineation should aid in defining total health and safety costs, delineating priority areas for interventions to reduce costs, and evaluating the effectiveness of health and safety programs. The significance of such efforts is underscored by the reported direct health care costs for the nations work force of over

The competitive advantage of a healthy work force: opportunities for occupational medicine.

418 billion, and indirect costs, using the lower range of estimates for such costs, of over

First Aid Supplies

837 billion. Reducing the total costs of over

Preplacement/Preernployment Physical Examinations

1.256 trillion would have major impacts on corporate productivity and competitiveness, as well as on availability of health care programs for employees. Recommendations for follow-up activities to define costs and evaluate intervention programs are provided.