Keeping Workers Productive

Medical imaging helps keep workers healthy and on the job through early detection and less-invasive procedures — often avoiding surgery, long recuperation, and disability. Economists have begun calculating the economic value of longer life expectancy, earlier detection, better functioning, reduced disability, and greater employee productivity.

"Healthier means wealthier" according to leading economist David Bloom. See economic value

Image-based interventions provide high-quality care, with fewer days away from work:

• Uterine fibroid embolization allows patients to recover in about one week versus six weeks – substantially reducing the five to ten million days of work lost annually due to fibroids. See Fibroids

• A non-surgical radiation delivery system offers targeted cancer therapy, with no pain and a quick return to normal activities. See Gamma

• Abdominal aneurysm repairs guided by imaging allow patients to return to the job in one week versus a long recuperation that follows surgery. See AAA

Exploratory surgery is a thing of the past for many workers, thanks to medical imaging. See Minimal

• Ultrasound-guided liver biopsies reduce complications – and in-hospital time. See Biopsy

Imaging offers an important tool for employers in value-based purchasing of health care services. See Business Case

Keeping employees healthy is good for business. See Worksite

Imaging helps employers save disability and health insurance costs for conditions that sideline employees:

• CT, MRI, and other imaging tests identify stroke early, to allow cost-saving and life-saving early treatment. See Stroke

• Imaging is helping workers and employers battle diabetic eye disease. See Diabetes

• CT scanning is helping patients and employers overcome the costs of trauma to the spine. See Trauma