Medical and Pharmacy Costs for New Hire Nurses Following a Physical Strength Evaluation Screening in a Large Health System

Abstract

Nurses often encounter situations that require lifting patients, often using awkward body positions. Hiring nurses with strength suitable for these jobs decreases nurses’ risk for illness and injury and would be expected to result in more appropriate and lower health care, pharmacy, and disability costs. The physical strength of new hire nurse applicants was assessed using a defensible isokinetic evaluation in the years 2011 and 2012. Health care and pharmacy costs were monitored for the first 12 months following date of hire and compared with costs for nurses hired without screening during the prior 2 years (2009 and 2010). The strength assessment group had significantly ( p < .05) lower health care and pharmacy costs per member per month (PMPM) compared with the comparison group. The study suggests that use of physical capability strength assessment is effective in hiring nurses with appropriate strength capability, resulting in significant health care and pharmacy cost avoidance.