Injury Triage: The $100 Decision That Can Save Thousands

In workers’ compensation, some of the most expensive decisions happen in the first few minutes after an injury. A knee-jerk trip to the emergency room. A questionable diagnosis. An unnecessary MRI. These early choices can set the tone for the entire life of a claim—driving up medical costs, lost time, and even litigation. But what if a single phone call could change all that?

Enter nurse-led injury triage—one of the most cost-effective and underutilized tools in workers’ comp. For as little as $100 per case, a triage nurse can prevent thousands of dollars in downstream expenses, while improving the employee’s experience and protecting your OSHA record.

Let’s explore how this simple service delivers such outsized returns.

What Is Injury Triage?

Injury triage is a service where a registered nurse (RN) provides immediate clinical assessment at the time of injury. Available 24/7, the triage nurse interviews the injured worker—often by phone—and uses medical algorithms and software to determine the appropriate level of care:

• Self-care at home

• First aid or walk-in clinic

• Specialist referral

• Emergency room or hospital admission

The employer receives a copy of the referral, enabling immediate follow-up and tracking.

The Hidden Cost of Overreaction

Without triage, decisions about medical care often fall on a supervisor or HR representative—people with good intentions but no clinical training. The result? Over-treatment, unnecessary claims, and inflated costs.

Studies show that approximately 40% of injuries routed through triage nurses are treated with self-care—meaning no trip to the doctor, no claim filed, and no OSHA report required. Without triage, most of those cases would likely become formal claims.

Now do the math:

• Cost of triage per case: $100

• Average cost of a medical-only claim: $2,000–$3,000

• Cost of a lost-time claim: $40,000+

• Cost of an OSHA-recordable incident: Priceless (think audits, fines, and brand impact)

If triage avoids even a handful of these claims, the savings multiply quickly.

Real-World Example: The Rolled Ankle

Let’s say an employee rolls their ankle stepping off a curb in the company parking lot. They report the pain to their supervisor, who isn’t sure what to do. Without a triage nurse, the safe bet is to send the employee to urgent care—or worse, the ER.

But with triage in place, the supervisor hands the phone to the injured worker, and the nurse begins the assessment:

• No swelling

• Full range of motion

• Pain level 3/10

• No prior injury to that ankle

The nurse determines that the injury can be managed with ice, elevation, and over-the-counter medication, and instructs the worker on proper care. The report is sent to the employer, and the case is closed within minutes—no medical claim, no OSHA report.

Now compare that to the alternative. The urgent care doctor orders an X-ray (just to be safe), charges $600, and issues a note recommending “light duty for 7 days.” That’s now a recordable event. A simple sprain just became an official claim.

When and How to Use Triage

Injury triage should be the first step for all new injuries—with the exception of life-threatening or clearly severe incidents (like amputations or chemical exposure). The triage nurse is not a replacement for the adjuster, but rather a frontline resource to evaluate the medical urgency of the case before adjusters or case managers get involved.

To get the most from your injury triage program:

• Use a URAC-certified provider with experienced RNs

• Ensure 24/7 access via phone or app

• Require documentation of each assessment and referral

• Train supervisors to initiate the triage call immediately after an injury

• Track outcomes (self-care, clinic, ER, etc.) to measure ROI

More Than Cost Savings—It’s About Culture

While the financial benefits of triage are clear, there’s another powerful impact: employee experience.

Injured workers often feel confused and vulnerable. Giving them immediate access to a nurse sends a strong message: We care about your health—and we’re here to help you make the best decision. That’s a win for morale, safety culture, and claim outcomes.

Conclusion: Small Investment, Big Payoff

Injury triage is the classic example of a small, proactive investment that delivers exponential returns. For around $100 per case, you can reduce claim frequency, avoid unnecessary medical costs, protect your OSHA record, and improve employee trust.

It’s a low-risk, high-impact strategy—and one of the smartest moves any employer can make in their workers’ comp program.

Michael Stack, CEO of Amaxx LLC, is an expert in workers’ compensation cost containment systems and provides education, training, and consulting to help employers reduce their workers’ compensation costs by 20% to 50%. He is co-author of the #1 selling comprehensive training guide “Your Ultimate Guide to Mastering Workers’ Comp Costs: Reduce Costs 20% to 50%.” Stack is the creator of Injury Management Results (IMR) software and founder of Amaxx Workers’ Comp Training Center. WC Mastery Training teaching injury management best practices such as return to work, communication, claims best practices, medical management, and working with vendors. IMR software simplifies the implementation of these best practices for employers and ties results to a Critical Metrics Dashboard.

Contact: mstack@reduceyourworkerscomp.com.

Workers’ Comp Roundup Blog: http://blog.reduceyourworkerscomp.com/

Injury Management Results (IMR) Software: https://imrsoftware.com/

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