Hospital workers spend more time and money on healthcare than other American workers, a Thomson Reuters study revealed.
These employees use hospital care 8.6% more than average for the treatment of chronic illnesses, including asthma, diabetes, congestive heart failure and mental illness. The cost of employee healthcare for hospitals soars when the statistic is coupled with the study's other findings showing that hospital workers visit the doctor and use ambulatory care less, said Dr. Raymond Fabius, chief medical officer of healthcare business for Thomson Reuters. Hospital employees visit the emergency room 22% more than average.
“It's pretty clear that we have a terrific opportunity to do better here,” he said.
The gap between hospital employees and the rest of the American workforce widens when the data includes employee families. Overall, hospital employees and their dependents are spending $4,662 a year compared with the average U.S. worker at $4,124, a 13% gap.