News briefs: Chronic illness costs 2.5 billion workdays; PTPN, CCN sign national contract
News briefs
Chronic illness costs 2.5 billion workdays
A new study in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine estimates that chronic diseases in the workplace account for more than 2.5 million missed workdays or "work cutback" days. The study, headed by Ronald C. Kessler, PhD, of Harvard Medical School in Cambridge, MA, showed that this amounted to an average of 1.5 days per month across all 2,074 respondents, or 6.7 days per month for those reporting any missed work time.
Although other chronic diseases were more common, cancer had the greatest impact on missed work time. Respondents with ulcers, depression, and panic disorder also had high rates of work impairment. "The enormous magnitude of the work impairment associated with the chronic conditions studied here should be taken into consideration in the current debate on universal health insurance," wrote the authors.
For more information, contact Marianne Dreger at (847) 818-1800, extension 386. E-mail: [email protected].
PTPN, CCN sign national contract
PTPN, a Calabasas, CA-based outpatient rehabilitation network, expanded its relationship with San Diego-based managed care organization CCN to a national contract. Under the agreement, PTPN will be a preferred provider of outpatient rehabilitation services for physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy in CCN’s group health, workers’ compensation, and auto injury management networks nationwide.
"As part of the contract, PTPN will handle the credentialing process for CCN to ensure that all our outpatient rehabilitation practitioners meet our strict quality assurance standards," notes Jeff DeGrandpre, director of marketing at PTPN.
PTPN has more than 1,000 provider offices throughout the United States. It contracts with most of the major managed care organizations in the nation, as well as with a broad range of insurers, workers’ compensation companies, preferred provider organizations, health maintenance organizations, medical groups, and independent physician associations.
For more information, contact Joy Scott at (818) 610-0270.
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