title: Implementing a self care program. Effect on employee health care utilization.
abstract: 1. One way to reduce health care costs is to reduce the demand for health care services. This can be accomplished by teaching employees to make better decisions about when they should see the health care provider or go to the emergency department versus treating themselves at home using self care. 2. In an effort to reduce health care costs, a manufacturing company implemented a self care program using a publication called the HealthyLife Self Care Guide. The guide was distributed to employees during a 50 minute workshop. 3. Analysis of claims data 1 year prior to distribution of the Guide and 1 year after distribution showed a savings of $39.65 per employee (a 24.4% decrease in costs) due to reduced health care provider and emergency department visits. This amounted to a return on investment of 2.6:1. 4. It appears that implementing a self care program in a worksite setting can be an effective way to reduce employer health care costs.
authors.affiliation: American Institute for Preventive Medicine, Farmington Hills, MI., USA.
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Powell
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Sharp
authors.forename: S D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Farnell
authors.forename: P T
authors.initials: PT
authors.lastname: Smith
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017046:Cost Savings; D005260:Female; D017048:Health Care Costs; D006266:Health Education / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009786:Occupational Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D016730:Program Development; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012648:Self Care