Identified risk factors can guide medical professionals in their attempts to increase the likelihood of patient adherence to drug treatment regimens.

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Objective: Certain modifiable risk factors lead to higher health care costs and reduced worker productivity. A predictive return-on-investment (ROI) model was applied to an obesity management intervention to ($311,755), 59% were attributed to reduced health care expenditures ($184,582) and 41% resulted from productivity improvements ($127,173) 2008;50:981-990) T he benefits to employers of having a healthy workforce are widely acknowledged as a means of lowering an organization's medical costs and achieving higher levels of worker productivity.1-12 Nevertheless, the decision by employers to invest in health improvement programs often requires an economic justification that includes an estimate of the return-on-investment (ROI) from such programs. 13 In addition, after the programs have been in place for some time, program sponsors may increasingly require evidence that health improvements have produced measurable cost savings, and that these savings outweigh program expenses.14,15 Of particular interest to employers are programs aimed at managing overweight and obesity among workers.16 Employers instituting these programs are requiring health management program managers to demonstrate that these interventions achieve health improvements and a positive ROI. 17Previous examples of the application of ROI forecasting models to estimate program savings associated with risk reduction in employed populations are found in studies conducted at The Dow Chemical Company, Motorola, and Union Pacific Railroad.18 -20 The ROI models applied were based on the research conducted by Goetzel et al 21 for the Health Enhancement Research Organization (HERO). This research found that employees with certain modifiable risk factors were more costly for employers when compared to employees lacking the targeted risk factors. In this article, we apply an adaptation of previously developed ROI models to estimate cost savings and ROI realized from an obesity management program implemented at several employer sites. Results for 890 workers enrolled over a 6-to 12-month period in the program were analyzed and input into the ROI model.