Wondering how to drive down your workers’ compensation costs? Loss prevention is one part of the equation, but it won’t entirely eliminate claims, particularly in the home health industry. Even with the most proactive measures, accidents happen. So, in addition to loss prevention, you need loss containment strategies to keep claims from spiraling out of control.
To mitigate the cost of claims, you should:
- Investigate and report early.
- Offer early return to work.
- Take control of medical costs by offering triage + telemedicine.
- Stay connected with your injured workers throughout the claim process.
What’s triage + telemedicine?
To understand the power of triage + telemedicine, imagine these two scenarios …
- Scenario A: Your employee suffers a back injury while lifting a patient. The employee reports the injury to you, and you drive her to the ER for evaluation. The ER visit generates a bill and a claim, and you’re off and running. Doctors, specialists, lab tests, long waits, time loss, indemnity payments, and a situation that can easily spiral out of control.
- Scenario B: Your employee suffers a back injury and reports it to you. You refer the employee to a 24-hour virtual nurse triage service. Your employee talks to a nurse, who determines if the employee can self-treat and return to work or needs to be seen by a medical provider. If necessary, the nurse refers the employee to the an appropriate and approved in-network provider. With telemedicine, the injured worker may be able to visit with a doctor via live video from the comfort of home or work, instead of going to the appointment in person.
Meanwhile, the system generates and distributes the Employer’s Notice of Injury; a triage report with information about the nature of the injury and recommended treatment; a separate report with additional instructions for the employee’s supervisor; and other necessary paperwork – essentially taking care of everything for you.
Scenario B harnesses the power of technology and sets you up for the best possible claim result. The combination of timely intervention and improved patient experience can cut costs and dramatically improve claim outcomes.
By implementing a virtual triage service and telemedicine, everyone wins. Employers see sustained reductions in workers’ compensation costs. Employees love the superior customer service and convenient access. Absenteeism goes down. Productivity goes up. Fraud is reduced. Morale is elevated. Recruiting and retention are bolstered. Overall quality is improved. What’s not to like?
How to get started
With Heffernan’s Triage Service, we’ve seen claim costs lowered by 15 percent on average, to as much as 35 to 40 percent, depending on a company’s claim history.
Ready to learn more about how Heffernan’s Triage Service with Telemedicine can help you slash your workers’ comp costs? Call us today or learn more here.
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