Evaluation of a comprehensive integrated workplace-based program to reduce occupational musculoskeletal injury and its associated morbidity in a large hospital.

Abstract

The objective of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of an integrated workplace-based program to reduce musculoskeletal injuries (MSIs) and the impact of those injuries in healthcare workers. A pre-/postintervention with concurrent control study design was applied-3 years of data before the program with 1 year of data during the program. Time-loss (TL) MSIs increased at the intervention site during the intervention year. However, the program returned injured employees back to work in a shorter time and, compared with average historical data, reduced compensation costs and healthcare costs associated with TL MSIs during the first year. The findings that MSI-associated TL and compensation costs were significantly lower during the program illustrates the effectiveness of this program and demonstrates that increased reporting of MSIs need not be associated with increased claims costs.