Alight Earns First-Place Honor for Leave Research Informing Return-to-Work Guidance
Award presented to Alight's MDGuidelines for innovative leave of absence study examining prevalent health conditions leading to absence claims and changes in return-to-work trends.
Alight, Inc. (NYSE:ALIT), a leading benefits administration provider of health, wealth, leave and point solutions, was recently awarded the first-place distinction among poster submissions at the American Association of Occupational Health Nurses (AAOHN) National Conference. Alight's MDGuidelines, a solution for medical disability durations included as part of Alight's leave of absence administration offerings, was recognized for innovative research on the top conditions informing leave of absence and return-to-work (RTW) guidelines.
"As new generations enter the workforce, it's an especially crucial time for employers to understand the needs, issues and health conditions that affect employees," said Kevin Curry, Senior Vice President and Head of Leave Solutions at Alight. "The study shares notable insights into leading reasons for leaves of absence and duration of recovery. Based on extensive data over ten years, these findings can help organizations update return-to-work policies appropriately. We're honored to receive this distinction from AAOHN."
Noteworthy health conditions shaping leave of absence
Designed to support decision-making for leave duration and return to activity expectations, the analysis examined which health conditions were most prevalent among employees, as well as the changes in durations from 2014 to 2023. Findings are based on data from the MDGuidelines population database, which includes 29 million short- and long-term disability claims and workers' compensation claims. Key findings from the study include:
- Over the 10-year period, the most frequently reported conditions that caused leaves of absence include: depression, herniated disc, knee osteoarthritis, low back pain, anxiety, meniscus tears of the knee, uterine fibroids, carpal tunnel, breast cancer, and hip osteoarthritis.
- Most condition durations showed decreasing trends over the last decade, while some conditions, such as herniated discs and knee meniscus tears, remained the same.
- For conditions that did not show decreasing trends, a more individualized approach to return to activity is recommended.
"Alight and MDGuidelines' research underscores how return-to-work guidance for the most prevalent health conditions can stay consistent with medical advancements while remaining rooted in evidence," said Jennylynn Balmer, MPA, BSN, RN, CSP, COHN-S, FAAOHN, President of the American Association of Occupational Health Nurses (AAOHN). "We are pleased to recognize Sheryl Ness MA, RN; Gage Koeller, MPH; Amanda Corbin, RN; Kerri Wizner MPH as the first-place winners in this year's national conference poster competition."
This award highlights Alight's expertise in absence management. With data-driven research to guide nurses and HR teams, employers can implement absence management strategies with evidence-based recovery durations for employees across a wide spectrum of health conditions.
"Occupational health nurses are at the forefront of helping employees return to work after an injury or illness. Keeping them informed about the latest data can help ensure evidence-based guidance is used for every claim," said Kerri Wizner, MPH, coauthor and Head of Epidemiology at Alight. The study presented the top reasons why employees require a leave of absence, average RTW durations, and if those averages significantly changed over a 10-year period. This showcases the conditions that necessitate more frequent consultation of guidelines. Knowing which conditions have variable RTW timelines also allows nurses to target the cases they can influence the most.
Visit MDGuidelines to learn more about how data and guidelines can inform best practices for returning patients to activity after an injury or illness.
About Alight Solutions
Alight is a leading benefits administration provider of health, wealth, leave and point solutions for many of the world's largest organizations and over 30 million people. Through the administration of employee benefits, Alight helps clients gain a benefits advantage while building a healthy and financially secure workforce by unifying the benefits ecosystem across health, wealth, wellbeing, absence management and navigation. Our Alight Worklife® platform empowers employers to gain a deeper understanding of their workforce and engage them throughout life's most important moments with personalized benefits management and data-driven insights, leading to increased employee wellbeing, engagement and productivity. Learn more at alight.com.
About MDGuidelines
MDGuidelines is the industry's leading solution for total health management and workplace productivity. MDGuidelines features the world's most trusted disability duration estimates and evidence-based Clinical Practice Guidelines from the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM), and is used around the world by healthcare payers, providers, and employers to help patients return to activity quickly and safely. MDGuidelines is a proven approach to managing and measuring the impact of evidence-based care across entire populations. Learn more at MDGuidelines.com.
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Media Contact
Tara Patwardhan
Mediarelations@alight.com