Employer Case Studies

Migraine Management Toolkit

Workplace Migraine Education Program

(financial services company case study)

Goal: Offer a migraine education program to all U.S. based employees of a global financial services organization

Program included a consumer friendly, approachable, multi-channel communication plan and webinars, an intranet site, company resources, emails, incentives and program evaluation (pre- and post-program questionnaires).

Program Results

  • Decrease in severity of migraine pain after the six-month program (participants rated the severity of their typical migraine pain on a scale from 1 to 10 during the last four weeks)
  • Increase in people who were 100% and 75% more effective at work and a decrease in those who weren’t effective at all
  • Reduction in absenteeism

Summary

  • Migraine is very prevalent in the workforce and can result in lost productivity and related costs for employers
  • This was a relatively low-cost program and fairly easy to administer, that resulted in improvements in migraine severity and self-reported days missed
  • Majority of participants acted to identify triggers and the program empowered participants to do something
  • Workplace migraine education may identify previously undiagnosed employees and gets the migraine conversation started

Lessons Learned

  • Communications need to be friendly and approachable with optimal timing for engagement (e.g. don’t roll the program out in the middle of benefits enrollment)
  • Use multiple channels and technology to drive communication and program content; live presentations are good, but many people miss these
  • Incentives add fun, promote engagement and add to the community we’re trying to form

Manage My Migraine Workplace Program

(biotech company case study)

A six-month program, open to all U.S. based full-time employees of a large biotech company; provides education on migraine and the action steps to better manage migraine. Components include monthly webinars, a member’s only website, individual wellness consultations, monthly emails, a research study app, and incentives. Migraine study is integrated into the program using:

  • Medical and pharmacy claims data from employer
  • Self-reported data from employees collected from the Migraine App and an HRA/survey
  • Survey data:
    • 2/3 have been diagnosed with migraine by a doctor
    • 4.9 mean migraine days were reported over the past three months
    • Most participants who don’t experience migraines said they joined the program because they know someone with migraines
    • Saw an impact on presenteeism due to migraine (self-reported data captured through the app) and 1/3 reported being absent from work because of migraine
    • Impact on family – 2/3 said they missed personal, family or household responsibilities outside of work due to migraine
    • 36% said it was moderately difficult to function/perform usual activities
    • More than half of respondents either called or visited a health care provider’s office directly related to migraine (self-reported)
  • Company provides separate wellness rooms which can be used for things other than migraines; also put in designated dark rooms in several spots on main campus
  • Changes to benefit plan – increased the number of EAP visits allowed to 20 to help with stress relief, etc. – most are resolved in 12