Work related injuries present a variety of treatment paths that an injured claimant may embark upon, depending on the severity and complexity of the injury. Often times, the more complex cases result in an ongoing loop of treatment and medical exams for the patient, and never-ending costs for the payor.
In 2013, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics conducted a Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, in which private employers reported over 3 million non-fatal workplace injuries and illnesses. This report demonstrated a rate of 3.3 cases per 100 full-time employees, of which nearly 95% were injury-based.
Patients, physicians, and claims management groups experience a treatment world of mixed communications and fragmented care. This can include ongoing clinical appointments with multiple specialists, repeat surgery, redundant diagnostic testing, and increased prescription medication. While this takes place, the patient can begin to experience loss hope of recovery, decreased mental health, increased reported pain levels, loss of functional capacity, and a shift in lifestyle expectations.
So how do we address this?
The answer, in simplest form; find a treatment modality that addresses individual claimant needs while offering communication between physicians, the patient, and the claim management group. Functional Restoration Programs specifically address this while offering an interdisciplinary care environment with multiple treatment modalities under one roof. This type of care model addresses the following areas:
- Pointedly aimed at controlling costs for the payor when handling complicated injured worker claims
- Eliminates the fragmented care model by improving communication between providers, reducing redundancy in treatment plans
- Addresses psychosocial issues complicating recovery and return to work time for claimants
- Provides a complete treatment program to address opioid dependency issues complicating claims and increasing the likelihood of ongoing health issues
Recovia’s Functional Flex-care model is based upon Functional Restoration Programs. It was developed to specifically address the needs of injured claimants stuck in an endless treatment cycle, while providing a solution to payor groups to better manage the ongoing cost of care. The ‘Flex-care’ component allows our team to develop custom treatment plans for each claimant, specifically defining unique goals to help build a path to better health.
The advice and information provided herein is for educational purposes only and should not be used for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites.
