There are hundreds of rehabilitative mattresses on the market, all addressing specific issues. However, most workers' compensation mattress scripts are limited to a couple of manufacturers and models. This is partly due to physicians' familiarity only with brands used in hospitals and partly to durable medical equipment (DME) companies' limited access to manufacturers and distributors.

With long-term disability claims comprising more than 11 percent of the workers' compensation medical dollar, mattresses are important cost considerations.

Consider the Alternatives
Doctors often script the critical-care hospital beds without realizing that less expensive and more practical alternatives for home use exist. Complex workers' compensation injuries require customized bedding solutions. Does the wound require a critical-care mattress for a period of time? How long? In a recent case, a paraplegic patient with mild pulmonary issues was discharged with a prescription for a critical-care hospital bed rental. After reviewing the file, the case manager approached the doctor with a cost-saving recommendation to purchase a $13,000 home model instead of renting the prescribed bed for $5,000 per month.