WorkComp Advisory
newsletter archive case studies articles

InjuryFocus™
Delayed Recovery avoidance
A new program to help you identify those employee injuries that can drive your Workers’ Compensation costs through the roof


Early intervention is a key to driving down Workers’ Compensation costs. Yet, it is too costly to intervene on every injury since every injury does not require the same level of intervention. For every 100 employee injuries, only one to three might spin out of control. Yet, these few injuries can destroy an otherwise solid Workers’ Compensation program and increase costs dramatically.

Is it possible to identify what injuries might spin out of control?
With the right data, lenders predict who will be a good credit risk and who won’t. The same is true with employee injuries. With a database of more than 10 million records on injured employees now available, we can predict who will return to full productivity in the expected time period and who may be out for much longer periods. This Predictive Modeling process has been used for years. It is now being applied to job-related injuries.

How does it work?
Two employees with the same physiology and the same injury may have very different recovery durations. By gathering certain information when an employee is injured, we can identify what is known as Delayed Recovery - a disability duration out of proportion to the severity of injury or illness.

What causes Delayed Recovery?

Job dissatisfaction, a history of prior injuries, education level, length of employment, secondary medical issues such as diabetes, cardio-pulmonary problems and a lack of available modified or transition duty jobs. Using predictive modeling, we can spot employees who may experience Delayed Recovery.

Are there certain types of injuries that more frequently result in Delayed Recovery?
Typically, these will be soft tissues injuries. Sprains and strains that are often associated with minor injuries.

What can an employer do to help avoid Delayed Recovery situations?

As soon as an injury occurs, the Certified WorkComp Advisor (CWCA) obtains answers to a series of questions about the employee. Then, based on a weighted algorithm developed through extensive testing, a program provides a Low, Medium or High Predictive Indicator of Delayed Recovery score, along with an appropriate intervention program designed to counter Delayed Recovery. Armed with this plan, the CWCA works with the employer to implement the plan.

Don’t just watch claim expenses climb higher over an extended “recovery” period. By working with your CWCA, you identify and mitigate potential problems before they drive up your Workers’ Compensation costs.

InjuryFocus is the only web-based, user-friendly program that gives employers the tools to avoid the high cost of Delayed Recovery. To learn more, contact us.