[October 29, 2014]

Truven Health Analytics Research Finds Health Risk Management Programs Reduce Employees' Health Risks and Translate to Cost Savings

The introduction of a health risk management (HRM) program resulted in reductions of 10 key health risk factors and ultimately lowered employer health spending and improved workers' productivity, according to a study conducted by Truven Health Analytics^TM, Pinnacol Assurance, the University of Colorado School of Public Health, and Trotter Wellness researchers.

The study, Estimating the Return on Investment from a Health Risk Management Program Offered to Small Colorado-Based Employers, examined changes in 10 modifiable health risks - obesity, poor eating habits, poor physical activity, tobacco use, high alcohol consumption, high stress, depression, high blood pressure, high total cholesterol, and high blood glucose - for 2,458 workers at 121 small businesses participating in the Pinnacol Assurance HRM program between May 1, 2010, and December 31, 2012.

The researchers found significant reductions in obesity (2.0% net reduction), poor diet (-5.8%), physical inactivity (-6.5%), tobacco use (-1.3%), high alcohol consumption (-1.7%), high stress (-3.4%), and depression (-2.3%).

"The Affordable Care Act has motivated employers to introduce new care delivery models, some of which are predicated on the notion that a healthy workforce leads to lower medical spending and higher worker productivity," said Ron Goetzel, Ph.D., vice president of consulting and applied research at Truven Health Analytics, senior scientist at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg (News - Alert) School of Public Health, and lead author of the study. "This study shows how small businesses that pool their resources to create healthy company cultures can help workers improve their health, and their organizations benefit as well."

Overall, the model used by the researchers found that employers saved an estimated $2.03 for every $1.00 they invested in the HRM program.

To read the full study, which was published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine in May 2014, visit http://journals.lww.com/joem/Fulltext/2014/05000/Estimating_the_Return_on_Investment_From_a_Health.15.aspx

For more information on how the Truven Health ROI Model helps organizations evaluate the cost savings and return on investment from risk reduction efforts, visit http://truvenhealth.com/your-healthcare-focus/employer/roi-model

About Truven Health Analytics

At Truven Health Analytics we are dedicated to delivering the answers our clients need to improve healthcare quality and reduce costs. We are a healthcare analytics company with robust, widely-respected data assets and advanced analytic expertise that have served the global healthcare industry for more than 30 years. These combine with our unique perspective from across the entire healthcare industry to give hospitals, clinicians, employers, health plans, government agencies, life sciences researchers, and policymakers the confidence they need to make the right decisions, right now, every time. With our healthcare-specific expertise and tools for managing complex and disparate data, we understand how to implement and integrate tailored analytics that drive improvement. In addition, our health and productivity researchers have extensive expertise evaluating the clinical, economic, and psychological effectiveness of prevention and wellness programs.

Truven Health Analytics owns some of the most trusted brands in healthcare, such as Micromedex, ActionOI, 100 Top Hospitals, MarketScan, and Advantage Suite. Truven has its principal offices in Ann Arbor, Mich.; Chicago; and Denver. For more information, please visit http://truvenhealth.com.

About Pinnacol Assurance

Pinnacol Assurance is Colorado's leading provider of workers' compensation insurance. Pinnacol provides comprehensive, competitively priced coverage; immediate attention to claims; a highly qualified network of medical providers; and proactive safety programs to over 55,000 Colorado businesses. Annually, Pinnacol supports $364 million of Colorado's economic activity, spends over 35,000 hours keeping Colorado worksites safe and provides compassionate care to over 40,000 Coloradans who were injured on the job. For more information, visit www.pinnacol.com

About the Center for Worker Health and Environment

The Center for Worker Health and Environment (CWHE) at the Colorado School of Public Health is an interdisciplinary, cross-institutional, cross-departmental academic home for supporting activities in the region to improve workplace and environmental health and safety through education, research, and community partnerships. The Center houses a Center for Disease Control/National Institute for Occupational Safety (CDC/NIOSH) funded initiative called the Mountain and Plains Education and Research Center (MAP ERC) and has been recognized as a NIOSH Total Worker Health^TM (TWH^TM) Affiliate. http://cwhe.ucdenver.edu

About Trotter Wellness

Trotter Wellness, Ltd. is a nationally recognized leader in delivering comprehensive population health risk management programs and services to organizations of all sizes and industries that measurably improve member health and productivity. Founded in 2003, Trotter Wellness is a privately-held Wisconsin-based company with offices in the US and in Canada. To learn more about Trotter Wellness and their Well Nation® products, visit http://www.TrotterWellness.com

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