Cardiovascular Risk Intervention at a Work Site: The Ford Motor Company Program

Abstract

Western Development Laboratories (WDL), Philco-Ford, for a study of medical incidents and costs. In a randomly selected sample of 800 salaried (nonunion) employees from the company's world headquarters complex, illness incidents that generated any type of medical expense over a 16-month period were examined; costs were analyzed in terms of underlying medical causes. A major finding was that cardiovascular disease constituted 1.5% of the total number of medical incidents and was responsible for 29% of the total reported medical costs [1, 2]. The results of this study were the catalyst for consideration of possible ways to prevent the occurrence of heart disease among company personnel. It was recommended that the company implement a cardiovascular screening program for all employees age 40 and older, supplemented by a program of corrective action for those employees . . . identified as having conditions which would be responsive to corrective action.1 A five-year pilot program in cardiovascular risk factor identification and intervention was approved, the purpose being to determine whether such a program in a corporate setting could reduce morbidity, mortality, and medical insurance costs related to cardiovascular disease. It was anticipated that an effective program in risk reduction would be followed by