How to manage chronic pain at workplace

According to World Health Organization chronic ailments have become very common at workplace and it is expected to account for 89% of all deaths in Canada.Patient’s Voice (Presented its second annual survey of employees living with chronic disease at the Sutton Place Hotel in Toronto) conducted two surveys online in early June 2011

1. 217 patients diagnosed with serious or chronic illness and
2. 103 plan sponsors that offer a benefits plan to employees.Outcome of the survey

-     Chronic conditions pose a considerable burden on employers as they experience loss in productivity due to absenteeism, presenteeism and short-term disability.

-      Employees affected by chronic illness spend about 48 minutes of their workday dealing with their condition.Three expert panelists evaluated the findings:

-      Chris MacDonald, assistant vice-president, health management services, group benefits, with Manulife Financial, reiterated the costs for employers on health benefits, short-term disability and long-term disability.

-      She also distinguished regarding indirect costs i.e. when the individual is not in the workplace, there are costs for overtime and a health impact on other employees who may be stressed as a result of the extra workflow.

-      As well, an ill employee may spend a significant amount of time researching his or her disease on the Internet while at work or talking about it with colleagues which can amount to a big loss of productivity.

-      Suzanne Lepage, private health plan strategist with Suzanne Lepage Consulting Inc said that when employers don’t track absenteeism and productivity, it’s hard to know the full impact on the business.

-      “The key is prevention, prevention, prevention – the hallmark of saving chronic disease in the workplace.” Need is to follow the four Es of prevention:

• educate your employees;
• engage them;
• empower them with knowledge; and
• enable and facilitate them with some kind of referral program, whatever the case may be.

 Reference: http://www.benefitscanada.com/benefits/health-wellness/managing-chronic-pain-in-the-workplace-24063