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10 Tips to Improve Injury Management Results and Improve Your Bottom Line

Linda Rees-Murray, Injury Management Consultants

1. Telephonic Case Management is most effective in the first 30-days following an injury. Report injuries quickly – within 24-hours – to effectively control claims costs.

2. Allocate Workers’ Comp costs directly to profit centers and operating locations. This will improve the effectiveness of your injury management process.

3. Develop provider and clinic relationships. A disengaged provider network slows both recovery and return-to-work outcomes for injured employees.

4. Have an effective Return-to-Work program. A sub optimal program will inhibit the financial impact a nurse case manager can have on the claim.

5. Have a case manager who can negotiate a release to work directly from the medical provider. This skill of negotiation is critical for a successful Return-to-Work program.

6. Be sure your medical case manager provides you with the goals of the rehabilitation plan so everyone knows what to plan for and expect.

7. Communicate these goals and timetable to the injured employee so that everyone is on the same page.

8. Beware the unintended consequences of large managed care networks. Make decisions based on medical outcomes, not discounts. Injured workers will usually listen to the advice of a case manager when it comes to the quality of care.

9. Focus care plans for injured workers on Maximum Medical Improvement (MMI) and Return-to-Work (RTW).

10. Web-based technology allows all stakeholders to see what is happening to an injured worker. Utilize this technology whenever possible.