Frequently Asked Questions...

HOW DO WE IMPLEMENT INNOVATIVE SAFETY PROGRAMS AND POLICIES TO PREVENT INJURIES AND CUT COSTS?

The most direct way of cutting workers’ comp costs is to prevent injuries from happening at all. In order to prevent injuries, employers must have a thorough workplace safety program in place. These programs should include training for all employees, as well as managers and supervisors.

HOW DO WE DETERMINE IF AN EMPLOYEE WELLNESS PROGRAM IS RIGHT FOR YOUR ORGANIZATION?

According to the National Foundation for Brain Research, depression is costing American businesses $44 million annually. Absenteeism and lost production from workplace stress claims cost employers up to $300 billion a year. As surveys and studies reveal the costly impact of stress on the workplace, a broad spectrum of wellness programs has hit the marketplace. It is extremely important to carefully evaluate wellness programs to make sure the one you select is right for your company. The basic goals of a wellness program should be:

• TO REDUCE EMPLOYEE HEALTH CARE & WORKERS’ COMP COSTS
• INCREASE PRODUCTIVITY
• INCREASE EMPLOYEE MORALE
• REDUCE ABSENTEEISM

Some programs focus on health from a medical perspective. Employers using one of these programs may sponsor an annual health fair or provide personal screenings for cholesterol and blood pressure.

Other programs focus on wellness in terms of exercises and nutrition. These wellness programs may include memberships at fitness clubs and discounts on home fitness equipment. Employers who offer fitness memberships sometimes require employees to "work-out" a certain number of times per week or month.

WHAT ARE THE COMMON PROBLEMS EXPERIENCED WHEN CHOOSING A PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIAN?

The following are common problems that employers experience in following a worker’s compensation claim to conclusion.

1) PROBLEM: LACK OF MEDICAL STATUS FROM THE DOCTOR.
Employees are sent to the doctors, but the employer does not receive status reports.

SOLUTION:
Most claim departments and/or doctors offices have preprinted " medical status reports" that include a copy for the employer. The employer/claims administrator should have prearranged agreements that patients without employer provided " medical status reports" should not be treated as industrial patient. It should be agreed that the employer’s copy of the status report should be faxed to the employer.

2) PROBLEM: DOCTORS DON’T RETURN PHONE CALLS.
Claimants are sent to an employer selected doctor but the employer or claims adjuster does not receive any type of medical opinion or Disability status from the doctor.

SOLUTION: When selecting the employer-designated physician, agree in advance on the reporting requirements. The requirements should include the identification of medical staff personnel, other than the attending physician, that has access to patient records and will provide the employer and the claim representatives with information.

"LIGHT DUTY" IS A GOOD IDEA

One aspect of a company’s overall cost management program is the development of a transitional RETURN-TO-WORK program, i.e., a "light duty" or "modified duty" program for injured employees. A transitional return-to-work program can range from modification of the employee’s existing job, to " light duty" positions, to development of temporary positions, or to " work hardening " programs. Such a programs can be as adverse and creative as an employer wants it to be. Transitional return-to-work programs have proven beneficial to both the employee and the company.

Companies that have implemented light duty programs counter that an aggressive approach to injury management makes perfect business sense. Insurance industry data indicates that companies with structured light duty programs return their employees to work in some capacity 50 percent faster than employers with unstructured programs. In addition, data also indicates that employees reach maximum medical improvement three times as fast in these structured programs.

HOW CAN WE ACHIEVE ERGONOMIC SOLUTIONS TO WORKPLACE INJURIES WITHOUT BREAKING OUR BUDGET

An important fact regarding ergonomic solutions is that most of them do not cost very much. In most cases, the modest cost to modify workstations or tools is more than offset by the increased production and efficiency gained by the worker, as well as savings through avoided occupational injury and illness costs. Federal OSHA has been working on an ergonomic standard which is anticipated to became law and it has looked at states like California, which adopted an ergonomic safety standard a few years earlier after great debate.

Ergonomics is the science of human factors engineering which seeks to fit machines and tasks to the human body. Too often, the reverse is true: subjecting the human to a poorly designed job routine or environment, which exposes the body to unusual stressors.

Repetitive motion injuries, sometimes called cumulative trauma, result in occupational injury and illness costs, as well as inefficient operations. Ergonomic hazards include physical and emotional factors that cause fatigue and contribute to poor job performance. Common exposures include awkward positions, repetitive motions without sufficient "recovery" time between tasks, extremes in temperatures and humidity, uncomfortable positions, exposure to glare, stress on joints, bones, nerves and muscles, and excessive noise or vibration.