10 Ways to Make Sure Your Workers Comp Program Decreases Costs

You can't just  release your workers'compensation program and expect it to behave. Treat the entire program like an unruly teenager – continuous check-ins ensure everything runs smoothly and allows for managerial input as needed. Here are a few of the techniques I use to continue to monitor and refine my programs.

Ensure continued success by weekly, bi-weekly or monthly conference calls, file reviews and webinars:

1. Continuous review, analysis and refinement of processes can be done on weekly conference calls. AE, TPA, Client, MD and Consultant all participate. EVERY project I have done in the last 20 years, we have engaged in weekly conference calls. They are very helpful, right Tony, Dale, John, Gary, Evan, Phil? Every Wed at 10 am we met for weeks. Everyone was accountable. The loss reduction was 25% for a company with 1000's of locations.  

2. Require 100% attendance at claim review meetings with your claims administrator. A lot happens at a file review, so the RM and IC both need to be involved.

3. Review of loss data and losses. AT one successful retailer I worked with with 50,000 employees, the Director of Claims Administration receives a notice of EVERY claim on his cell phone. Every claim… so he can stay on top of those who stay on top of the claims.

4. Revisions to resource guides, brochures and forms. There's nothing wrong with change. Continually review your materials. ASK ADJUSTERS if they have any ideas on ways to improve your program. Bring them into the process. 

5. Continual improvement of relationship with medical providers. Visit the clinics, speak with the clinic employees. Consider doing follow up interviews, surveys of every claimant to ask their opinion of how they were treated and the quality of their care. I work with an MD whose team does designs these surveys, Dr. Jennifer Christian. Give me a call if you are interested in medically-oriented customer quality surveys and I'll put you in touch with Dr. Christian. 

6.  It is important that the injury coordinator (IC), risk manager, broker and carrier stay in touch during the implementation process so there is a forum to discuss problems as they arise and reach solutions. Consider the value of having multiple ICs so they can share ideas, information, and techniques.

7.  Having a regularly scheduled conference call with ICs keeps interest high and provides a forum for discussion of new techniques and solutions. They draw on each other for resources and ideas.

8. Conduct file reviews on a periodic basis throughout the year to determine status of all claims, and to continue to develop and document action plans for claims resolution. (workersxzcompxzkit) 

9  During file reviews let adjusters and their supervisors know how you want your claims handled. It's OK to be directive and to ask for what you want. Just be pleasant when you do it. Stick to your guns. If you aren't sure whether you are stepping over the limit, ask your broker what they think. Get another perspective. Ask your colleageus. Post a question on LinkedIn.

10. Webinars are a useful tool for training new ICs and keeping existing ICs up-to-date on the newest trends in workers' compensation management.

These are some of the techniques I use. Give them a try.