title: Cost benefit of sumatriptan to an employer.
abstract: Benefit and occupational health managers need information on whether new treatments, such as sumatriptan, for migraine headache improve organizational or individual performance. A work productivity outcomes assessment was conducted among sumatriptan-using employees of an Independent Practice Association-health maintenance organization population. Of the 164 sumatriptan users, 101 full-time employees were surveyed by telephone once in an open-label, before-after design. The results revealed that lost labor costs, a function of days missed from work and reduced productivity at work as a result of migraine, were decreased after sumatriptan treatment initiation. Incremental benefit of this reduction in lost productivity is valued at $435/month per employee. The sumatriptan cost associated with this benefit is $43.78/month. The benefit-to-cost ratio is 10:1. Other costs and benefits were excluded. In conclusion, the availability of sumatriptan for migraine headache treatments in this IPA-HMO resulted in improved work productivity and had a net benefit for the employer.
authors.affiliation: Center for Health Services Research & Policy, Qual-Med Health Plan of Washington, Inc., Inland Northwest Division, Spokane, Wash, USA.
authors.forename: R F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Legg
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Sclar
authors.forename: N L
authors.initials: NL
authors.lastname: Nemec
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tarnai
authors.forename: J I
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Mackowiak
mesh_terms: D000041:Absenteeism; D017281:Cost of Illness; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008881:Migraine Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000191:economics* / Q000453:epidemiology; D016272:Occupational Health; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D017366:Serotonin Receptor Agonists / Q000191:economics* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018170:Sumatriptan / Q000191:economics* / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D017366:Serotonin Receptor Agonists; D018170:Sumatriptan