title: Safe lifting programs at long-term care facilities and their impact on workers' compensation costs.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the utility of a safe lifting program index and a measure of lift inventory to predict workers' compensation claim frequency and costs in long-term care facilities in 23 states.
  
  
  METHODS
  Workers' compensation claims and cost data were matched to Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)-certified facilities (N = 656). Facility safe lifting program index were derived from interviews with directors of nursing in a subset (N = 271).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The higher the safe lift index score, the lower the claims and costs. An increase of one lift per 100 residents is associated with a 5% decrease in claims frequency and an 11% decrease in total costs on average.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this national study, we find that a comprehensive safe lift program, endorsed and promoted by directors of nursing, reduces caregiver injury as measured by workers' compensation claims frequency and costs.
authors.affiliation: National Council on Compensation Insurance, Inc, Boca Raton, FL, USA.
authors.forename: Tanya E
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Restrepo
authors.forename: Frank A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Schmid
authors.forename: Patricia W
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Gucer
authors.forename: Harry L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Shuford
authors.forename: Chun J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Shyong
authors.forename: Melissa A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: McDiarmid
mesh_terms: D019567:Back Injuries / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D055805:Moving and Lifting Patients / Q000009:adverse effects*; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital; D060051:Occupational Injuries / Q000517:prevention & control; D016730:Program Development; D015397:Program Evaluation; D017751:Safety Management / Q000458:organization & administration*; D014481:United States; D014942:Workers' Compensation / Q000191:economics