Call it irony or call it questionable. A new report from Thomson Reuters indicates that hospital employees have 10 percent higher healthcare costs than the general population and are less healthy. The average annual healthcare cost for a hospital employee and his or her dependents was $4,662, outpacing the general population by $538.
The report also found hospital employees were also more likely to be diagnosed with chronic medical conditions, such as asthma or diabetes.
"Ideally, the healthcare workforce would be a model for healthy behaviors and the appropriate use of medical resources," said Dr. Raymond Fabius, chief medical officer for the Healthcare business of Thomson Reuters. "Unfortunately, our data suggests that the opposite is true today. Hospitals that tackle this issue can strengthen their business peformance and community service." Press release