HEALTH MANAGEMENT. Hospital workers only other health care

By Debra Sherman
CHICAGO | Mon Sep 12, 2011 12: 25 am EDT
CHICAGO (Reuters) - hospital employees spend 10% more health consume more medical services and are generally sicker than the rest of the workforce U.S., according to a study released on Monday.
The cost difference was even greater, if members with health costs were taken into account 13 percent with care and prescription drugs.
The study, conducted by Thomson Reuters healthcare, analyzed the risk to the health and the use of 1.1 million hospital workers and compared them with 17.8 million health plan members from all sectors across the country.
Researchers consider not the reasons for the differences.
In the health sector were more frequently diagnosed and hospitalized in the hospital employees and their families, to treat asthma, diabetes, heart failure, HIV, hypertension and mental illness.
Found that the average cost of health care for hospital employees and their relatives $4.662 per year--$ 538 higher than in the general population.
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Hospital staff and their families saw their doctors less often, but were more likely to visit 22 percent to an emergency room and spent 18 percent more time in the hospital, which resulted in study.
Kreg Sherbine, co-author of the study speculated that easy access to expensive play a role can supply.
"If they right are in the hallway of the emergency room, it could be even easier to go than to arrange an appointment with a doctor," said Sherbine.
He said the stressful environment of a hospital and the irregular hours, which can be many hospital staff work together make it difficult to maintain, one other factor a healthy lifestyle.
Sherbine said that he doubted that the reason was the exposure to disease in the workplace, because there were differences in the numerous diseases such as diabetes and obesity.
"Consciousness could be a factor." We know that chronic diseases often unrecognized. You can reasonably determine that professionals are better about their symptoms and therefore more likely to seek treatment. However does not explain that the excessive difference in usage, "he said."
Researchers found that a hospital or health system an estimated $1.5 million per year for each 1 per cent reduction of the health would save costs with 16,000 employees in medicine and pharmacy.
"There are sectors with higher risks associated." The manufacturing sector, for example, is generally older and has even less healthy people, "said Sherbine."
But with the increasing financial pressure on hospitals, hospital administrators must pay attention to their bottom line, he said.
"Salaries and benefits are their biggest cost." We think that it is really important for hospitals, this address, ", he said."

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