July 17, 2008
Did you know...?
Returning injured employees to work
More than 5 million workers are injured on the job each year in the U.S., according to Bureau of Labor Statistics. Of those, more than 1.4 million fail to return to work following an injury or illness.
Workers fail to return to work for many reasons, including benefit eligibility, financial pressure, family resistance, rigid company policies and lack of light duty opportunities. The longer an employee stays away from the workplace, the more difficult it becomes to reestablish the discipline of being on the job 8 or more hours a day.
It has been reported that there is a 50% chance of returning to work within 6 months following a work-related injury or illness. That percentage decreases to 25% following year 1 and decreases even further (to only 2%) when off work for 2 years or more. Early intervention strategies have been used to help employees return to work in a timely manner. Effective return-to-work (RTW) programs are estimated to reduce disability costs 20-40%.
An effective return-to-work program focuses on returning a worker to employment as soon as possible following an injury or illness. An effective RTW program also helps to improve the injured person's mental, social and financial status as well. An established RTW program also allows a worker to feel more secure - he/she knows that the company will support them in the event of an occupational injury or illness.
Key components to a RTW work program include:
Early Injury & Illness Management - common work-related injuries include those involving repetitive motion and strain. With early detection and treatment of such injuries, employees can continue to work with minor accommodations or limited time away from work.
Accident Prevention - Prevention is the aim for most health related issues.
Active Safety Program - An active safety program is one that is continuously implemented through training and is updated periodically to keep employees aware of safety-related issues.
Ongoing Review of Workplace Design and Process - Workplace design must be evaluated, looking for potential hazards. Once problems are identified, changes need to made to prevent injuries.
Proactive Claims Management - Compare work-related injury claims to determine the need for intervention and controls.
Employee Assistance and Corporate Wellness - Employee assistance and corporate wellness programs are a proactive way to help reduce injuries and illnesses by promoting health lifestyles. Individuals with healthy lifestyles and a positive self-esteem are less likely to be injured on the job and more likely to return to work following an injury or illness.
Management Involvement - Management support is essential to the success of any program. For a RTW program to be effective management should be involved in helping to establish and oversee the program, be trained in the RTW process, create accurate and comprehensive job descriptions for each position and help update the program.
Interacting with the Physician - Physician diagnosis and recommendations often determine whether workers receive workers' compensation benefits, including time frame. Employers need to fully understand the physician's recommendations and interaction with the Physician is imperative.
Making Accommodations - Although physicians can recommend work restrictions, it is up to the employer to make accommodations for the injured employee. The transition back to work is smoother when all involved understand the accommodations and the employee is engages in some type of work activity rather than being totally off work. According to Job Accommodation Network, most accommodations cost less than $500 and 20% cost nothing.
Although RTW programs have been around for nearly 20 years, their importance is coming to the forefront as healthcare costs continue to rise. Implementation of an early RTW program has shown benefits and cost savings, but continued support from employers is vital to continued success.
To find out how OHS-COMPCARE can help with your RTW program please contact our Client Services Team at 816-561-2105 or visit us online at www.ohscompcare.com.
*Please feel free to forward this information to any member of management in your company who would benefit from it.*
We now offer the Tip of the Week in Spanish. To view the Tip of the Week in Spanish please visit our Tip of the Week library at http://www.ohscompcare.com/totw/. Please allow a few days for the current Tip of the Week to be translated and placed in to the library.
To learn more about
services OHS-COMPCARE has to offer, contact our Client Services
Team at (816) 561-2105 option 1 or by e-mail at customerservice@ohscompcare.com. You can also visit us at www.ohscompcare.com.
Why choose us? Because OHS-COMPCARE offers a Certified Drug and Alcohol Collector who will perform collections at the clinical facility, the employers worksite or at the designated Hospital Emergency Department.
OHS-COMPCARE has eight (8) area clinical facilities:
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Blue Springs Clinical Facility |
Independence Clinical Facility |
Johnson County Clinical Facility |
St. Joseph Clinical Facility |
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801 NW St. Mary’s Drive |
19000 E. Eastland Center Crt, St. 200 |
10415 Lackman Road |
904 Edmond Street |
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Blue Springs, MO 64104 |
Independence, MO 64055 |
Lenexa, KS 66219 |
St. Joseph, MO 64501 |
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816-224-9121 |
816-478-9299 |
913-495-9905 |
816-233-7702 |
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After Hours Available |
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KCMO/Broadway Clinical Facility |
KCMO/Front Street Clinical Facility |
Wyandotte County Clinical Facility |
Grandview Clinical Facility |
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1650 Broadway |
6501 East Commerce, Suite 110 |
1333 Meadowlark Lane, Suite 200 |
13830 S Us Highway 71 |
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Kansas City, MO 64108 |
Kansas City, MO 64120 |
Kansas City, KS 66102 |
Grandview, MO 64030 |
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816-842-2020 |
816-483-5550 |
913-596-2774 |
816-761-4664 |