It can be easy to take a pain-free existence for granted. When pain is out of sight, it’s thankfully out of mind.
But for employees struggling with chronic pain from an injury or illness, that pain is often front and centre. Chronic pain is persistent pain that lasts from three months to many years. In many cases, the pain continues even after the originating medical reason for the pain is resolved. And the impact can be considerable – reducing an individual’s ability to function well both at home and at work.
BEACON announces it has launched BEACON therapy for Chronic Pain Management. It’s a new concern addressable through the BEACON therapist-guided digital therapy service. This new behavioural health therapy capability can help employees change their relationship with pain and find new ways to enjoy the things that matter.
The impact: chronic pain and your workplace
Chronic pain affects a large segment of the employee population. In Sanofi Canada’s 2020 survey of employees and benefit plan sponsors, nearly half of employees (48%) reported chronic pain. This increased to 58% among those with diabetes and to 83% among those with arthritis.
Not surprisingly, this has a significant impact on workplace productivity. Nearly 60% of employees battling chronic pain and conditions report missing work or finding it harder to do work. And benefit plan sponsors estimate that 36% of overall benefits costs are attributable to chronic diseases or conditions. This includes chronic pain.
Why employees with chronic pain miss work – or struggle with it
- Tiredness or fatigue (51%)
- Time off for healthcare appointments (35%)
- Difficulty concentrating (32%)
- Feeling ill (31%).
Source: Sanofi Canada, 2020
Why BEACON therapy for Chronic Pain Management?
Chronic pain is complex to manage. And even if the employee resolves their initial medical reason for the pain, chronic pain can persist. And it’s very real. The gold standard for improving and expanding physical function involves psychological approaches to managing pain, along with medical treatments.
With BEACON therapy for Chronic Pain Management, your employees will benefit from:
- Understanding the mind-body connection that pain creates. This includes how to break the pain cycle and diminish its impact on how they live
- Developing a trusted relationship with a therapist. They’ll provide thoughtful guidance, encouragement and dedication to seeing the employee live their best life
- Learning self-management approaches. These can help employees expand the ways they function, achieve relaxation, and overcome the negative thoughts that affect pain.
BEACON therapy for Chronic Pain Management is a robust behavioural health solution that complements physical rehabilitative therapies such as physiotherapy or medication. It can be provided as a standalone therapy in cases where employees are not accessing other forms of care.
As with all therapy through BEACON, therapy for Chronic Pain Management is delivered to employees securely through the BEACON digital platform, letting them access their therapy at anytime from virtually anywhere. This new capability is now included as part of the full BEACON therapy service, which includes therapy for depression, anxiety, posttraumatic stress, insomnia and stress management.
It's time to embrace healthier minds.
Talk to us about offering BEACON within your organization.
