The Three Cs of Great Treating Physicians

One of the most overlooked drivers of workers’ compensation outcomes isn’t the network, the adjuster, or even the benefit design. It’s the treating physician — and more specifically, the quality of the relationship between that physician, the injured worker, and the employer.

Outcomes are driven by relationships, not contracts. And when it comes to medical care, the treating physician sits at the center of that dynamic.

To simplify what often feels complex, there is a practical framework employers can use to evaluate and select the right physicians. It’s called the Three Cs:

Care. Cooperation. Credentials.

1. Care: Do They Actually Care About the Injured Worker?

The first “C” is deceptively simple. A great treating physician genuinely cares about the injured worker as a person, not just as a diagnosis or a billing opportunity.

Caring physicians take the time to listen, explain, and reassure. They recognize that injured workers are anxious — worried about their job, their income, and their future. When that concern goes unaddressed, fear fills the gap, and fear drives poor claim behavior.

The transcript repeatedly emphasized that injured workers don’t care about networks, discounts, or fee schedules. They care about whether they’re being taken seriously and whether someone is helping them navigate the process.

Physicians who demonstrate care build trust early — and trust is one of the strongest predictors of compliance, recovery, and return to work.

2. Cooperation: Will They Work With the Employer and the System?

The second “C” is where many otherwise qualified physicians fall short.

A cooperative physician understands that workers’ compensation is not traditional healthcare. It is a system, and success depends on coordination — with the employer, the adjuster, and return-to-work programs.

Cooperative physicians:

• Communicate clearly and promptly

• Understand job demands and physical requirements

• Support transitional duty when appropriate

• Engage in conversations about outcomes, not just treatment

Employers often struggle because their physicians operate in isolation. When doctors don’t cooperate with the broader system, delays compound, restrictions linger, and claims stretch far longer than necessary.

Cooperation does not mean rushing care or prioritizing cost over recovery. It means aligning medical decisions with real-world job realities and recovery goals.

3. Credentials: Are They Qualified — and Relevant?

Credentials matter, but not in the way most networks emphasize them.

Yes, licensing, certifications, and credentialing are foundational. But the transcript made a clear distinction between being credentialed and being effective in workers’ compensation.

Highly credentialed physicians can still perform poorly in comp if they:

• Lack occupational medicine experience

• Don’t understand return-to-work principles

• Treat comp patients like personal injury cases

• Ignore job-specific demands

The most effective providers combine strong credentials with experience treating work-related injuries and an understanding of employer environments.

That includes physicians who have visited job sites, reviewed job descriptions, and understand the physical realities employees face.

Why the Three Cs Matter More Than Network Size

Network participation does not equal quality.

Broad networks often prioritize access and discounts, not outcomes. As a result, employers assume they’re getting “the best doctors” when, in reality, they’re getting whoever agreed to the pricing structure.

The Three Cs shift the focus from transactional selection to intentional partnership.

Employers who identify and work with physicians who care, cooperate, and are properly credentialed consistently see:

• Faster return-to-work timelines

• Fewer unnecessary treatments

• Better injured worker experiences

• Lower total claim costs

The Bottom Line

Great workers’ comp outcomes don’t come from bigger networks or deeper discounts. They come from intentional relationships with the right treating physicians.

By applying the Three Cs — Care, Cooperation, and Credentials — employers can move beyond guesswork and build a medical strategy that actually works.

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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