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Worksite Disease Management Programs for Depression

Potential Employer Benefits

  • Review Article
  • Published:
Disease Management & Health Outcomes

Abstract

Disease management has the potential to make great improvements in the treatment of depressive disorders, yielding benefits for both the patients receiving treatment and their employers. This review of the medical and business literature found that this potential is still largely untapped, with few existing disease management programs for depression and only one with a published, peer-reviewed evaluation. However, there is a large evidence base for potential components of a disease management program from the academic literature on quality improvement for depression treatment. The business literature documents several employer responses to depressive disorders aside from traditional disease management including stress reduction and Wellness programs, depression education programs, Employee Assistance Programs, and disability claim management. This review finds evidence of substantial costs of this illness in the workplace, particularly the indirect costs of reduced productivity, and potential strategies for employers to reduce these costs.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are currently exploring the possibility of performing an evaluation of a private industry disease management program for depression called Balanced Outlook, for Health Integrated of Tampa, Florida, USA. No funds were received from Health Integrated during the preparation of this manuscript. Dr Pyne was supported by a Veterans Administration HSR&D Advanced Research Career Development Reward.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Health Services Research and Development Center for Mental Health and Outcomes Research, Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System, North Little Rock, Arkansas, USA

    Diane E. Steffick PhD (Researcher, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry), John C. Fortney & Jeffrey M. Pyne

  2. Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center, South Central Veterans Integrated Service Network (#16), Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System, North Little Rock, Arkansas, USA

    Diane E. Steffick PhD (Researcher, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry), John C. Fortney & Jeffrey M. Pyne

  3. Division of Health Services Research, Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA

    Diane E. Steffick PhD (Researcher, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry), John C. Fortney, Jeffrey L. Smith & Jeffrey M. Pyne

  4. Mental Health Quality Enhancement Research Initiative, Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System, North Little Rock, Arkansas, USA

    Jeffrey L. Smith

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  1. Diane E. Steffick PhD
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  2. John C. Fortney
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  3. Jeffrey L. Smith
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  4. Jeffrey M. Pyne
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Correspondence to Diane E. Steffick PhD.

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Steffick, D.E., Fortney, J.C., Smith, J.L. et al. Worksite Disease Management Programs for Depression. Dis-Manage-Health-Outcomes 14, 13–26 (2006). https://doi.org/10.2165/00115677-200614010-00003

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.2165/00115677-200614010-00003

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