Improving Quality of Care, Facilitating Return to Work

By Best Doctors

A Different Approach to Workers’ Compensation:

In addition to providing second medical opinions and medical excellence to employees, organizations are increasingly thinking about enhanced medical programs for their population that is at risk for work-related injuries. Why? Because every workday, some 5,000 workers sustain injuries which disable them for at least a week. The American Journal of Medicine states that at least 15 percent of all medical cases in developed countries are misdiagnosed. With workers’ compensation cases, not only do you need a correct diagnosis and treatment plan, you need a correct diagnosis and treatment plan quickly.

The urgent nature of these complex or catastrophic cases should not put the quality of diagnoses and treatment plans at risk.This is where Best Doctors comes in. With complex or catastrophic cases, early expert intervention, decision support and the knowledge of medical experts can dramatically increase the chances for success. Think: shorter recovery times,higher levels of functional recovery, avoidance of unnecessary treatments and lower costs. A win-win for employers and employees.

Now let’s think about and analyze your outcomes and cost data and determine return-to-work recovery times. How are the numbers looking? Back injuries, catastrophic injuries and chronic pain management are the biggest pain points facing individuals, employers and claims professionals today. Which areas represent your highest costs? Do you currently have a strategy or process in place for managing claims and identifying areas of improvement?

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employees who miss work for more than a year due to on-the-job injury or illness have a 25 percent chance of returning. After two years away, that number drops to almost zero. The numbers say it all. It’s important to help these injured employees recover by matching the claim to the medical resources.