Affiliations: The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto,
ON, Canada | Division of Health Care and Outcomes Research, Toronto
Western Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON,
Canada | Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences, Lakehead
University, Thunder Bay, ON, Canada | Division of Epidemiology, Dalla Lana School of Public
Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada | Toronto Health Economics and Technology Assessment
Collaborative, Toronto, ON, Canada | Institute for Work and Health, Toronto, ON,
Canada | Divisions of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Dalla
Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
Note: [] Address for correspondence: Dr. Sophie Soklaridis, The Centre
for Addiction and Mental Health, 250 Russell Street, Room 4081, Toronto, ON,
Canada M5S 251. Tel.: +1 416 535 8501 x 30022; E-mail:
sophie_soklaridis@camh.net
Abstract: Background: Although return-to-work (RTW) interventions have been
shown to be cost-effective, most previous economic analyses have focused on the
insurer's perspective. Employers can also incur costs when supporting the RTW
of their employees. Objective: To identify a key set of items for estimating the costs
of RTW interventions from the employer's perspective, and to identify and value
the costs and consequences of a RTW intervention. Participants: Employers with knowledge of the economic costs of RTW.
Methods: A survey of 10 workplaces with RTW programs was conducted.
The survey consisted of semi-structured interviews with a human resources or
occupational health and safety representative from each enrolled workplace.
Results: The interviews were reviewed and from them key items were
identified for estimating the costs of RTW interventions from the employer's
perspective. Employers identified the following costs: medical, equipment,
training and education, wage replacement and productivity, and claims
administration when assisting an employee's RTW. Conclusions: Even in a jurisdiction with workers' compensation
insurance, employers incur costs associated with RTW programs. It is important
to consider these costs, from the perspective of the employer, when studying
the cost-effectiveness of RTW interventions or programs.
Keywords: Economic evaluation, work disability, qualitative, direct and indirect costs
