NURSE TRIAGE PROGRAM
" THE WORKER SIMPLY CALLS THE HOTLINE AND SPEAKS WITH A WORKERS ’ COMP NURSE WHO IS FULLY SKILLED IN ASKING THE RIGHT QUESTIONS AND FILING AN ACCURATE REPORT . "
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rotecting the health and wellbeing of your employees should be a top priority for every company ; however , no business is injury-proof . Organizations of every size have to deal with multiple workers ’ compensation claims each year , which can be overwhelming for the person in your office who has to file with the insurance company . Oftentimes , mistakes are made , and the claims are not handled properly . Ultimately , this can cause the insured quite a lot of money if claims are not reported properly .
Fortunately , there is a new solution to handling these types of claims that is quick , efficient , and reliable . It ’ s called the nurse triage program .
Similar to telehealth , which became very popular during the COVID pandemic — nurse triage is an injury hotline which enables employers to respond to workplace injuries at the most critical point — the day the incident happens . The worker simply calls the hotline and speaks with a workers ’ comp nurse who is fully skilled in asking the right questions and filing an accurate report . They will then help the worker determine the most effective course of action after an injury by either providing self-care advice or directing the individual to an appropriate level of care . Implementing immediate action can reduce the likelihood of lost workdays . Within 24 to 48 hours , the triage nurse makes a follow-up call to the injured worker to assess status , satisfaction , and provide additional guidance , if needed . We have found that the outcome of a claim tends to be better when a worker is engaged with a healthcare professional .
It ’ s important to note that the nurse ’ s only concern is the needs of the injured worker . The triage nurse does not make any compensation determinations .
Thanks to this innovative program , both the employer and insurance company are aware of the situation with accurate information . The claims can be more efficiently addressed , keeping costs down and potentially lowering your company ’ s experience modification rate ( EMR ).
Since all of the calls are recorded and available for future review , a nurse triage program discourages false claims and potential fraud . Injured employees are notified at the outset that the call is recorded and creates a basis of the details so that any changes in the details made later can be effectively challenged .
Ultimately , this kind of program is a major win for employers , employees , and the insurance company . Plus , there are additional benefits :
• It ’ s free , which keeps the cost of living down
• It provides appropriate medical advice for employees
• It eliminates employer involvement
• It may assist your employees to return to work faster
BY : MEAGHAN TYNDALE-WILLIAMS , CLCS ADVISOR , JGS INSURANCE , A BALDWIN RISK PARTNER
• It improves morale by showing employees the company cares about their well-being
• It reduces lag time in reporting ( long lag times have been shown to increase claims costs )
• There is the potential to reduce direct and indirect bottomline costs to employer
Since the introduction of this program , we have noticed a huge improvement in the way claims are handled , a decrease in the number of claims that are reported during the year , and a tremendous drop in cost .
It ’ s important to remember in an unmanaged situation , the workers ’ compensation system is set up so that injuries are treated without any regard to appropriate expense . With a phonebased nurse triage program , you have the ability to stem these expenses and reduce the number of claims while at the same provide appropriate care . Employees receive immediate access to experienced , reliable medical professionals ; avoid time-consuming visits to emergency rooms or clinics and unnecessary testing or procedures ; are able to return to work much quicker ; and have confidence that the recommendations provided are intended to achieve the best possible post-injury care .
Has your broker spoken to you about a nurse triage program for your business ? If not , we are here to answer your questions . +
Meaghan Tyndale-Williams began her insurance career with Liberty Mutual in Commercial Lines as a Direct Sales Property & Casualty Producer . She won numerous sales contests and awards while at Liberty Mutual including 2008 Producer of the Year , Millionaires Club and Liberty Top Producer Club . In 2014 , after having her first of three children , she transitioned to JGS Insurance to be closer to home and began her current position as Insurance Advisor .
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