Speaking Points for Dr. Frank M. Brocato’s
Presentation to FDA on May 11, 2001
Employers make INVESTMENTS in HEALTH CARE BENEFITS for their employees for FOUR (4) measurable outcomes: (Left column, Page 2 of booklet)
- Faster recovery from illness
- Improved Quality of Life
- Increased Functional Status
And, most importantly,
D. Gains in PRODUCTIVITY AT WORK, specifically:
Reduced ABSENTEEISM FROM WORK
Reduced IMPAIRMENT WHILE AT WORK
From EHC studies in Tampa, we know that IMPAIRMENT LOSSES ARE 7.5 TIMES GREATER THAN ABSENTEEISM LOSSES.
(Page 3 of Booklet)
ALLERGIES are the MOST PREVALENT of all diseases that we measured
(Table E, Page 6)
- Doctors told 26% of employees that they had ALLERGIES
- Another 5% of employees felt that they had ALLERGIES
- So TOTAL PREVALENCE is 31%.
- NEXT MOST PREVALENT DISEASE, HYPERTENSION, is 13% lower than Allergies, at 18%.
- ALLERGIES had the GREATEST DISEASE-SPECIFIC PRODUCTIVITY LOSSES of all diseases we measured. (Table N, Page 10)
5. At $15/hour, TOTAL PRODUCTIVITY LOSSES FROM ALLERGIES
were $1.25 Million/1000 employees/year. (Table N, Page 10)
6. Employers are critically CONCERNED WITH THE EFFECTS OF SEDATING ANTIHISTAMINES upon the work effort of employees.
- Causing greater IMPAIRMENT AT WORK, more LOSS OF TEAM FUNCTION and higher probability of improper functions which may lead to ACCIDENTS AT WORK.
- Employees with ALLERGIES using NON-SEDATING ANTIHISTAMINES save 500-675 working days per year per 1000 employees compared to those employees who use SEDATING ANTIHISTAMINES. (Left column, Page 6)
Therefore,
- The EMPLOYERS represented by EHC want OPTIMAL MEDICAL AND PHARMACEUTICAL MANAGEMENT OF ALLERGIES for their employees.
- The EMPLOYERS of EHC need their employees with ALLERGIES to receive the best MEDICAL MANAGEMENT BY PRACTIONERS for
their ALLERGY SYMPTOMS and ACCESS TO BEST-OF-
CLASS, NON-SEDATING ANTIHISTAMINES, as part of
optimal medical management for ALLERGIES AND ITS
RELATED CONDITIONS.
- The EMPLOYERS of EHC are committed to MEASURE AND IMPROVE THE HEALTH AND PRODUCTIVITY STATUS of its employees, which they know are directly related to the BOTTOM-LINE FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE OF THEIR COMPANIES.