It is one thing to stay current on what to do if an employee is hurt on the job when you're wearing your “producer” hat. However, when one of your own is injured on the job, you may need some review to make sure you take all the right steps.

Experts who deal daily with these workplace incidents are clear as to where an employer's focus should be: Helping the employee return to work. Supporting that effort however you possibly can will help the employee heal better and probably faster, and will get your valued staffer back on the team. It also will save you significant money in workers' comp costs.

The same experts also stress that a clear message is sent to all employees when the boss takes steps that show care and concern, affirming the value of the employee.

Jean Feldman, vice president of Care Management Operations at Choice Medical Management in Tampa, explained that depending on what comes with the workers' comp policy you purchased, some degree of help from a nurse or vocational staffer should be available to you to create a temporary job for an injured employee returning to work.

“You can tap into the carrier's support programs or a medical management company for help in figuring out ways to accommodate injured employees. If you can keep them in some sort of job status, you can get a full-duty release quicker than if they are sitting at home. Being open to suggestions from a nurse, who can evaluate skills and help you comply with the prescribed restrictions, helps you look beyond what your usual office procedures are,” Feldman said.

“An employer can't let a transitional job go on for an extended time, but an experienced nurse can help modify some of the employer's job descriptions, and even help distribute the workload,” Feldman said. In every office there are tasks that are left undone due to time restraints; this might be a good catch-up time for some of those. The nurse can offer solutions based on the skill level of each employee.

Time Off for Physical Therapy

Lisa Wagner, Choice's manager of Claims and Operations in Sarasota, said the employer doesn't have to pay for any time not worked, and a threshold must be met of 20 percent of wages lost in a five-day work week (eight hours) for workers' comp temporary partial benefits to kick in.

“Most employers will allow employees to attend [physical therapy] on the clock,” Wagner said. “They will want them to go and have it be successful.”

Covering this time off is not required but, in her experience, “probably 90 percent of employers do. It portrays goodwill toward valued employees, and shows the employer wants to help the person get better and get back to his or her regular job.” She sees this as a positive influence the employer can have in helping decrease overall comp costs. Medical management staff can help with questions about this and other sensitive issues, over the phone or on-site.

“Most often, medical management and other support costs are spelled out in workers' compensation contracts,” Feldman said, adding that they can vary widely, and probably aren't given much thought until there is an incident.

“The employer's policy may already include some of these services, but when using field investigators or a field nurse, most companies usually charge hourly rates,” she said. “These are an expense to the claim file, but if you spend more up front, you can get the claim to come to a more timely resolution and closure. Everybody is working toward that goal.”

Companies such as Choice have guidelines in place for nurses to get involved in the planning early, to work closely with doctors to monitor care and progress. Their job is to try to help employees recover at work. Feldman said the nurse may hear something different from the patient than the doctor does, and can help the employee understand the diagnosis and treatment plan and stay compliant.

“We assist the injured employee through the workers' compensation process to ensure they are getting quality care and a timely recovery,” said Feldman. The company also reviews disputes, working closely with physicians and adjusters.

Feldman sees wisdom in employers evaluating their current program before an incident occurs, to see what services are either included or accessible when needed. “They might need to choose something more expensive, but will save money in the long run,” she said.

In her experience, “Most employers will go the extra mile for that valued employee. It's good for the morale of the whole office.”

Jean Feldman can be reached at Choice Medical Management, 888-823-5377 or 813-282-9801 in Tampa.

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