Establishing a cooperative relationship with an occupational clinic convenient to your worksite is very important. Even though not many of your injured workers will ultimately visit the clinic, you as the employer are often in a good “bargaining” position to get the most attention and the best service possible. If the clinic is doing pre-employment physicals, drug testing, etc. your company is a valuable source of revenue.
Next, involve your Medical Director. If your Medical Director is local, he or she should attend the initial meeting to set up the relationship. Establishing a doctor-to-doctor relationship will be an important component of getting injured workers back on the job. A treating physician is more comfortable sending an employee back to the workplace knowing that another physician is also concerned with the worker’s safety. If your Medical Director is not local, he or she should have a phone conversation with the clinic’s Medical Director to establish a good rapport.
In your meeting with the Clinic Manager and Medical Director ahead of time, make sure that the clinic is aware of whom to contact at your company whenever an employee is treated. It is essential that the employer contact be made before anyone is taken off work. This should be part of a clear, stated policy with regard to return to work (RTW). Ideally, the work status should be determined by the employer and not by the treating doctor. This is a key point that is often missed. While the treating physician determines the physical restrictions, as long as the workplace can accommodate a worker’s restrictions, it should be up to the company whether or not to bring the worker back. Always involve your legal department in setting up return to work parameters. For more ideas of how to coordinate medical care click here: http://www.reduceyourworkerscomp.com/wasteful-workers-compensation-practices.php
One way to reemphasize these key points is to use a Brochure to the Physician like the one in Workers’ Comp Kit — a “leave behind” communication reminding the doctor and clinic employees about the employer’s transitional duty program. Dr. Dave is happy to answer questions from the comments box below or thorugh his email at [email protected].
For more cost savings tips go to WC Cost Reduction Tips.
