Opinion: Just What the Doctor Ordered
By Mike Bassett
Managing Partner
The Bassett Firm
This Opinion piece appears in the Oct. 20 print edition of Transport Topics. Click here to subscribe today.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration soon will introduce a program that will list certified medical examiners on a national registry and require all interstate commercial truck drivers to obtain their medical certification from an approved examiner.
This development, which FMCSA says is still in the rule-making stage, could result in stricter medical examinations and a stronger emphasis on driver health and fitness in an industry already plagued by chronic diseases such as diabetes and obesity. Commercial drivers cannot be licensed if they have chronic health risks such as high blood pressure or severe heart conditions.
How should the trucking industry prepare for these changes? Improved health and wellness programs could be just what the doctor ordered.
Drivers are not likely to change on their own; they’ll need employer help and support. But why should trucking companies care about driver health and wellness? Because in addition to improving the overall health of employees, successful health and wellness programs have been shown to reduce health-care costs, workers’ compensation claims, accident rates and driver turnover rates.
Schneider National Inc., the nation’s second-largest truckload carrier, implemented initiatives designed to combat various wellness challenges, including sleep apnea, cardiac health, diabetes and congestive heart failure. To measure the effect of its health and wellness programs, the company tracked health-care costs before and after they were implemented. In the course of a year, Schneider was able to keep claims costs to a single-digit annual percentage increase, which is relatively low compared with the double-digit industry norm.
The best medicine appears to be preventive. Since implementing more rigorous annual physical exams, Georgia-based Trucks Inc. has saved more than $250,000 in medical insurance costs by diagnosing health conditions early.
An Ann Arbor, Mich., trucking company reported annual workers’ compensation claims dropped 80% and lost workdays fell by 75% in one hub office after implementing a health and wellness program. After factoring in decreased health-care costs and added productivity, trucking companies can expect to get more than $3 back for every dollar invested in a wellness program.
Health and wellness programs that emphasize treatment and prevention have broader implications as well. A study published in the American Journal of Industrial Medicine cited several reports that suggest a link between health conditions among drivers and the occurrence of fatal motor vehicle accidents with other drivers. The study found prevention may delay or avoid the onset of many health risks. By implementing preventive measures, a company can improve drivers’ health, alleviate heath-care costs and reduce the number of motor vehicle accidents in one fell swoop.
The trucking industry has taken dramatic steps in the right direction. It is estimated that 75% of employers with at least 1,000 workers have health and wellness programs.
But more is needed. The average truck driver today is 5 feet 8 inches tall, weighs 250 pounds and is expected to live only 56 years.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has said truckers report more injuries than workers in any other industry, and the Department of Labor Statistics indicate truckers suffer the most fatalities of all occupations.
Why are longhaul drivers more vulnerable to chronic health risks?
Irregular work schedules, long stays away from home and the lack of health insurance limit truck drivers’ access to health care for continuous treatment of chronic health problems. A survey to evaluate access to health care among longhaul drivers found about half of the drivers lacked a health-care provider seen routinely. Additionally, 40% had difficulty making an appointment because of their unpredictable work schedules. Of the 70% of drivers with health insurance, nearly 40% lacked regular access to a health-care provider because of their extended periods away from home.
Drivers who worked more consecutive days on the road reported increased difficulty making health-care appointments, but more than half of these drivers also experienced difficulty getting health care while off-duty because of their irregular schedules. The fact that drivers experience difficulty receiving health care from conventional sources is a significant reason trucking companies should be more proactive in providing health and wellness.
To understand what makes a health and wellness program successful, it is helpful to understand why some don’t work. The problem is that many trucking companies lack a long-term perspective and do not have a committed coordinator or sufficient resources. According to the Health Enhancement Research Organization, most programs fail to address the underlying health issues leading to costly treatment, namely that 50% to 70% of all health problems are the result of lifestyle choices such as smoking, lack of exercise and poor nutrition. Therefore, a successful program must not only treat the symptoms of chronic disease but also offer preventive solutions.
Sadly, wellness programs, when they do exist, are often underused by drivers and tend to be one-size-fits-all. To make a program successful, it must be appealing to drivers and factor in their specific needs.
To improve driver quality and retention, Celadon Inc. developed a program offering a number of wellness initiatives, including diabetes counseling, personal wellness coaching, health fairs and healthier alternatives at its company cafeteria.
A well-crafted trucking company health and wellness program that calls attention to the detrimental consequences of certain lifestyle choices, such as smoking and poor eating habits, can have a positive effect on the health and wellness of drivers, as well as the company’s bottom line. But don’t expect overnight results. A successful program must focus on long-term solutions with long-term results. With the proper program in place, most drivers will have no problem passing even the strictest medical exam.
Based in Dallas, The Bassett Firm is a civil litigation firm specializing in multiple areas, including transportation litigation, personal injury, premises liability and insurance defense.
