Flying through the air with the greatest of ease may be daring, but it's not without risks.
Aerialists and other circus performers sustain injuries just like workers in other industries. But the logistics of getting appropriate treatment for these workers can be challenging — especially when they are part of a traveling circus that goes by train, staying in each location for just a day or two at a time.
"They are going from city to city," said Daniel Sanchez, co-founder and vice president of operations and clinical outcomes for OnSite Physio. "The worker sees a physician in Hartford or Boston and gets an order for physical therapy, but can't start it until the circus is in Philadelphia two days later. Every time the worker is in a new city he has to get a new evaluation and has to tell the whole story to the physical therapist in each city."
The prevalent PT model in the workers' comp system of going to onsite clinics is less than ideal for such workers. Someone must transport the injured worker to the clinic, meaning extra travel time. There is also the extensive paperwork involved in going to different clinics throughout the country.
One solution is mobile physical medicine on demand. "We have a relatively small bin [on the train] that has our therapy table and cuff weights/thera bands," Sanchez explained. "They unload the therapy bin, part of which is all the documentation. So when the worker is available for PT, the therapist arrives and can read about the treatment that was done three cities ago, and not have to start from the beginning."
Therapy on the road
Mobile PT is becoming increasingly popular for patients who have limited time and/or travel ability. Some companies even utilize it for homebound Medicare patients.
The idea of mobile therapy at the worksite is just starting to catch on. While traveling circuses are one of the more unusual types of "workplaces," the concept can work in nearly any type of industry.
Companies utilizing the concept report cost benefits — some described as significant. Keeping the employee at the worksite for physical medicine treatments eliminates expenses for travel and time away from work.
One such organization, Marriott will co-present the results of the hospitality chain's usage of mobile physical medicine, during a session Friday, Dec. 2, during the National Workers' Compensation and Disability Conference & Expo, in New Orleans.
Mobile treatment allows workers to get the same therapy regardless of where they are located. (Photo: iStock)
Benefits
Mobile PT is not a panacea, nor is it appropriate for all injured workers. However, many businesses are finding that in addition to the bottom line benefits, there are additional advantages to both employees and employers.
Injured workers who are on light duty are especially appropriate for mobile physical medicine. It also may reduce the number of sessions needed.
More broadly, with mobile physical medicine, employees who are confined to their homes can get return-to-work-purposed sessions delivered to them there. Once ambulatory, they can go to the worksite for PT — even if they still cannot do any work.
It affords injured workers the opportunity to see their coworkers, get pats on the back, and hear comments such as 'we miss you, we need you.' The workers getting such positive feedback from their coworkers, validates that their job is still there and the employer does want them to return.
Often getting injured workers to the worksite for just an hour of physical medicine a few times a week can make a tremendous impact. "It decreases that 'sick role' mentality," Sanchez said. It also allows therapists to see the specific physical requirements of a patient's job.
"We're taking time to really understand what they do and tailor the therapy to it," Sanchez said. "The fact that [the therapist] is onsite, he can see what the worker has to do."
The injured worker will typically have the same therapist throughout his treatment. For the entire session, the therapist is focused only on that one injured worker and not distracted by any other patient or complaint.
Finally, the concept allows for better communication among all stakeholders involved in a workers' compensation claim. "With workers' compensation patients, there is somebody on the employer side, the patient, the claims adjuster and the insurance side you need to communicate with. All these stakeholders need to be updated and told what is going on," Sanchez said. "Mobile allows for that."
Logistics
Sanchez expects more companies will provide mobile physical medicine to injured workers. He believes this novel approach for treating will grow within the industry as organizations gain an understanding of its simplicity and see the clinical benefits derived.
"It's very minimal what an employer must provide," Sanchez said. "You don't need a gym, you don't need a lot of equipment or a big huge room. It's all done with very minimal types of needs."
In the hospitality industry, for example, small areas rather than hotel rooms are used, and a gym is not needed. "It's a very easy process to implement," Sanchez said. "There's a great positive effect with bringing employees back to the workplace so they can see their coworkers and supervisors can see them and get a feel for how they are doing."
Nancy Grover is the president of NMG Consulting. She can be reached at nancygrover@hotmail.com.
Editor's Note: The National Workers' Compensation and Disability Conference® & Expo will be held at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans, Nov. 30 – Dec. 21. For more information go to www.wcconference.com.
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