Back to work: Occupational-health providers may be more important to employers' bottom line than ever.

• Author: Asp, Karen
• Position: Health Care

With the tightening economy, companies are undoubtedly looking to shave expenses. Perhaps one of the best solutions may lie in the form of occupational health.

"It's been said that the difference between making money and not making money is how somebody controls workers' compensation," says Phillip Harman, vice president of corporate services for Methodist Occupational Health Centers Inc., which is headquartered in Indianapolis.

For employers, preventing and rehabilitating workplace injuries will become even more important as workers' compensation rates are expected to rise. According to the National Association of Occupational Health Professionals, companies across the country may soon pay up to 30 percent more in workers' compensation. Even though Indiana boasts one of the lowest workers' compensation rates in the country, employers who can prevent injury and illness in their facilities will significantly reduce spending.

Take, for example, American Electric Power in Rockport. A few years ago, the company incurred an annual cost of $450 per employee to treat injuries, says Bob Taylor, safety and health leader for AEP's Rockport facility. That changed when the company hired the Deaconess Hospital COMP Center in Evansville to provide occupational-health services. In 2000, AEP spent less than $8 per person for medical treatments. Taylor expects that number to be even lower for 2001.

In 2000, Alverno Occupational Health Network in northwest Indiana launched its Injury Free Program, which is customized to fit the specific needs of a company's work force. Alverno specialists visit a company's work site and learn what skills are required to do various jobs. Then they tailor programs to prevent...