It's a changing world in the workers' compensation arena. TheAffordable Care Act is transforming the health care industry.Opioid use and abuse is a national epidemic that can impactworkers' comp outcomes. And rising medical costs often createincentives to move non-work-related conditions into the workers'comp space.

In nearly 38 years of medicine, I have never seen a time withmore change at such a pace, and with so many external factorsimpacting the care of injured employees.

[Dr. Will Gaines on current trends affecting workers compensationand why effective claims management is so important.]

Amid these trends, how can employers control workers'compensation costs and ensure their employees receive appropriatecare and effectively return to work? By partnering with aknowledgeable insurance company that understands the evolvingworkers' comp market and how these changes can affect the care ofinjured workers and claims costs.

Here are six areas to consider when selecting your workers'compensation partner to help ensure that even in a changingenvironment, your company and employees are getting the bestpossible outcomes.

Preventing injuries

Employers should look for an insurer with a long history ofunderstanding, independently researching, and successfullypreventing workplace injuries. What's also critical is theinsurer's ability to translate that knowledge into practice throughrisk control professionals and services that help employers toidentify and implement steps to improve workplace safety. As afirst step, the insurer can help an employer understand the topreasons employees get hurt and specific ways to keep them safe.

Early and accurate information

When workplace injuries do occur, it's critical to gatheraccurate information about the injury as soon as possible.Sometimes, a medical provider will classify an injury aswork-related based solely on conversations with the injured worker.An insurer with the medical and industry expertise to initiatemeaningful discussions with the primary treating physician andemployer can offer an objective review of the work situation andhelp the provider make a valid causation assessment using anevidence-based approach.

[Key ways an insurer can control workers compensation costs anddeliver better outcomes]

Matching injuries with providers

In states where employers are able to direct care, aknowledgeable insurer can match employers with medical providersthat specialize in work-related injuries and ensure thatjurisdictionally appropriate work injury treatment guidelines arefollowed. An insurer that knows how to leverage data and analyticscan evaluate medical providers, identify those that deliver thebest outcomes, build networks of the most effective providers, andtailor those networks to a worker's home or work location.

Return to work

A strong insurance partner will have a good understanding of theemployer's operation and industry to help injured employees returnto work. For example, the insurer can help employers identifytemporary jobs for injured workers, make medical providers aware ofopportunities for injured employees to return to work in lessphysically demanding roles, and help identify and address medicalor social conditions that could delay an injured worker'srecovery.

[The importance of return to work andusing resources effectively.]

Data and analytics

Big data is everywhere, and workers' comp is no exception. Butit's not enough to just compile data.

Data's great to have, but if you don't act on that data, there'sno benefit. Data can shed light on a treatment that's veered offcourse and with this information in hand, a claims management teamcan help get treatment back on track.

It's important to integrate, rather than silo, data analyticsand medical resource personnel. An insurer that uses data toidentify emerging treatment trends and shares this information withits medical experts is better able to engage treating providers anddeliver better outcomes for injured workers and employers.

The right resources at the right times

An insurer also needs to understand which experts and resourcesto deploy at what time in each claim's lifecycle. An insurer shouldknow, for example, when involving a nurse case manager is mosteffective; if, based on an injured worker's opioid prescriptionpattern, a conversation with the treating physician is needed; orat what stage a vocational rehabilitation specialist should beengaged.

Today's rapidly changing workers compensation environmentcreates many opportunities for an insurer to proactivelycollaborate with medical providers, employers and injured workersto achieve a timely and effective functional recovery. Quickly andefficiently delivering quality outcomes using a team-based approachis in the best interests of all stakeholders.