Earlier this year, the Institute of Medicine estimated that U.S. businesses lost between $297.4 billion and $335.5 billion in productivity due to chronic pain. Chronic pain affects some 116 million Americans—some of whom might be your employees.
Since workers' compensation claims must start with a work-related injury or illness, reliable estimates of what pain itself costs the workers' compensation system every year do not exist. However, OxyContin recently became the top prescribed prescription drug in the workers' compensation system, in terms of dollars paid.
The lack of an agreed-upon definition for chronic pain makes any study of the topic difficult. The International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) defines chronic pain as "...pain without apparent biological value that has persisted beyond the normal tissue healing time (usually taken to be three months)." It can also include symptoms of anxiety, depression, fear and anger.
Many studies have pointed out the link between mental state, particularly depression, and the experience of pain. For workers with depressive tendencies, a holistic intervention program that acknowledges the mind/body link could help prevent chronic pain. However, the purpose of workers' compensation medical treatments is to get the worker well enough to return to work as soon as possible. Insurers might be reluctant to refer a worker to a holistic pain management program, which can be expensive and with unproven results. Another reason for their reluctance could stem from the nature of the workers' compensation agreement itself—workers' compensation laws require the employer to compensate injured workers for lost wages and to provide medical treatment and rehabilitation services. It does not obligate them to pay for pain and suffering. This can leave employees in pain and employers coping with reduced productivity.
Some ideas that can help your organization reduce the pain of lost productivity:
✔ In cases of chronic pain, consider treatment from a holistic center or pain specialist. Seek referrals from occupational health specialists—pain specialists vary widely in training and approach. Some use primarily noninvasive techniques, such as drugs, physical therapy and counseling, while others specialize in invasive techniques, such as surgery. Ask pain specialists for information on outcomes.
✔ If your workers' compensation insurer will not cover so-called alternative treatments, take a look at your state's workers' comp laws. Some states require workers' compensation to cover specified alternative treatments, such as chiropractic therapy, acupuncture and massage, when prescribed by a treating physician. Others, such as California, allow certain alternative providers to treat industrial injuries without a physician's referral.
✔ If an injured employee has exhausted alternative treatment benefits, see if your group medical program will pay for such treatments. The savings you realize by returning an injured worker to the job free of pain could outweigh any cost to your medical program.
✔ Focus on prevention. Fitter employees are less likely to experience painful or degenerative conditions such as arthritis after an injury. Fit individuals also recuperate more quickly from surgery and injuries. Wellness programs can encourage employees to become fitter.
✔ Look at ergonomic conditions. Poor ergonomics can contribute to or worsen conditions such as muscle strain, headache and other pain-causing conditions.
For more suggestions on preventing injuries and illness, please contact the PCOC Insurance Program department at Jenkins Insurance Services at (877) 860-7378.