Workplace absences due to short-term disability were reduced 15 percent among high-risk individuals who received supportive services through a CIGNA pilot program, according to preliminary results presented earlier this month at the Disability Management Employer Coalition's International Conference.
The pilot program, which began in 2009, involved 118,000 individuals from 26 client employers. Using its proprietary predictive model to analyze medical, disability, pharmacy and other data, CIGNA identified individuals with a 10 percent or greater risk of missing work due to a disability in the coming year.
Of those identified as high-risk, 80 percent were randomly assigned to receive outreach and integrated support, including personal health coaching from a nurse advocate, as well as connections to other health support programs, such as lifestyle management, employee assistance, disease management and vocational stay-at-work programs.
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Individuals who received the additional outreach and support through the Absence Prediction and Prevention Program had 15 percent fewer incidents of short-term disability-related absences than individuals in the control group, who did not receive the additional outreach and interventions. Study group participants who did experience a disability were absent five fewer days on average than the control group.
With 10 percent of disability cases accounting for more than half the total medical and disability cost, employers are seeking smarter, more effective ways to help their employees stay healthy and on the job, CIGNA says.
"Preventing, or even reducing the risk of illness and disability, offers a proactive, tangible benefit for both employers and their employees," says Dr. Jeffrey Kang, CIGNA's chief medical officer. "By encouraging a culture of health and wellness, employers can help ensure they protect their most important asset—their employees."
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