Changes in Work Impairment and Associated Cost Savings Among Employees Receiving Psychotherapy: Retrospective Cohort Study.

Abstract

The aim of the study was to examine changes in work impairment and associated cost savings among employees receiving psychotherapy through an employer-sponsored benefit. A retrospective analysis evaluated changes in work impairment and lost productive time among N = 5450 adults receiving psychotherapy. Per employee per year (PEPY) cost savings due to gains in productive time were estimated using a range of salary benchmarks. Employees experienced significant reductions in work impairment ( b = -2.88, 95% confidence interval [-3.01, -2.75]) and lost productive time ( b = -4.00, 95% confidence interval [-4.25, -3.74]). Based on the median US salary, improvements corresponded to an average cost savings of $4806 PEPY. Cost savings increased with increasing baseline work impairment severity (very severe: $20,882 PEPY at the median US salary). Employees receiving evidence-based psychotherapy experience meaningful reductions in work impairment, which are associated with employer cost savings due to productive time gains.