These programs include prenatal, flu shot, prevention, ergonomics, and Return-to-Work components.  The Step-in-Time prenatal program enhances birth outcomes while saving an average of $560 dollars per delivery, and the ergonomics and Return-to-Work programs reduced disability days by 11 per participant.  All-in-all, the programs have generated savings of $2.22 for every $1 dollar invested, and yearly savings have escalated from $6 million to $8.5 million dollars.  

Specific Comments Included:

A comprehensive program which has been in operation for a long time and involves a previously recognized Koop Award winning program.  Health and cost outcomes are documented and there is an overall strong commitment to evaluation.  There is an innovative "Drug Interaction" program which may be unique among corporate programs.  There is a good working relationship with MEDSTAT regarding outcomes research.  About one-half of the 22,000 member workforce have participated.  An external economic evaluation of the overall program provided evidence of cost savings.  Effectiveness is shown over a range of indicators.  The program has a stated link to human resources strategy particularly as it relates to impacting absence and health care costs.  There is outreach to families and retirees and the staffing is multi-disciplinary.  Educational strategies are imbedded rather than programmatic.  There is integration with benefits and there are prevention performance targets for the health plans.  This continues to be an excellent program and it is getting better; the focus on high risk employees and problems is commendable.  The drug interaction analysis is an excellent non-traditional service especially for a retired population.

A few concerns were expressed:  the participant versus non-participant design is weaker than desirable, but trends tend to counterbalance this bias.  The sub-grouped pregnancy results are not entirely convincing.  The actual evaluation design methodology and analyses could have been described more completely.  There is potential concern for the stability of the program after the Pacific Bell merger with Southwestern Bell Corporation.