Controlling Costs in Worker's Comp

Almost every business owner loathes worker's compensation insurance — costs are high and can go up significantly in the event of a claim or multiple claims. Also, worker's comp can be a cost center that is heavily impacted by fraud and abuse. If employers can control the number and severity of claims and lower worker's comp costs, they can put the money to better use.

One of the challenges with a worker's comp incident is that time is usually not on the business owner's side. If an employee has a non-emergency workplace injury and follows a normal progression of informing their supervisor and leaving work to seek medical attention, the costs rapidly escalate. Remember, time is not on the employer's friend, and during this process the employee may conclude that his or her injury is worse than it is. This conclusion may be real (caused by a lag in treatment) or perceived. One of the keys to lowering the cost of worker's comp incidents is to significantly shorten the time window from the event to the first conversation with a medical professional.

Through technology, a company can provide rapid response telemedicine which shortens the incidence of the medical response window, distributes all paperwork and lowers the cost of worker's comp claims. Employees with non-emergency injuries talk with a healthcare professional before leaving the workplace. Often, these injuries can be treated without a costly trip to the local Emergency Room or healthcare provider. Also, many injured employees can receive on-going consultation via a virtual clinic or provider. As a result, the cost of worker's comp claims and time out of work are both significantly reduced. On average, a virtual triage program has proven to lower E-MOD scores and decrease workers comp claims and costs by 40%.

Technology can also help bring work comp costs further down for the employer through involvement before an incident with prevention programs because the best way to reduce workplace injuries is to prevent them from happening in the first place. Ergonomics programs helps decrease the number one category of workers' comp claims — Overexertion. Overexertion injuries like lifting, pushing, pulling, holding, carrying or throwing objects may be caused by musculoskeletal disorders (MSD's) which account for nearly 25% of work comp injuries and over $15 billion in costs.

Partnering technology helps keep employees healthy, productive and on the job — just what all companies want.

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Dr. Ann Hawkins has been instrumental in the preventive healthcare area since the early 1970's.  That interest extended into workplace injury with her recognition of the number and costs of claims which could be mitigated with prevention and early non-critical medical intervention.  Dr. Ann received her Doctorate from the University of Northern Colorado, Master's degree from Idaho State University, Pocatello, ID and Bachelors from Colorado State University, Ft. Collins, CO.