60 in 60: NWCDC 2018 Panel Discusses Tips to Improve Outcomes in Work Comp Claims

Las Vegas, NV (WorkersCompensation.com) – Although there was no news of any NWCDC attendees winning a jackpot or taking the stage for a lip sync performance at the Bellagio (as far as we know), people who stayed for the last day of presentations got lucky with a 60 Tips in 60 Minutes panel with: 

·      Barry D. Bloom; Principal, The bdb Group

·      Jill Dulich; Claims and Operations Manager, California Self-Insurers' Security Fund

·      Bill Wainscott; Manager, Occ. Health and Occupational Care and Recovery, International Paper

·      Stuart Colburn; Shareholder, Downs Stanford

·      Suzy Braden; Workers' Compensation Claims Manager, Encompass Health

·      Barbara Schultz; Former Director of Employee Health and Wellness, Valley Health System

·      Robert Wilson; President and CEO, WorkersCompensation.com

A few tips worthy of noting:

· Wilson suggested, “MOW THE LAWN.” He told a story about an injured worker who wasn’t necessarily ready to come back after being cleared to work again. Their supervisor stopped by their home to check in, and realized the lawn needed attention. The supervisor mowed the lawn that weekend, and the injured worker reported for duty that following Monday. Sometimes, the little things make the difference.

· Another tip from Wilson: Spend more and worry less. “Sometimes the least expensive doctors are the most expensive to utilize,” he said. If you choose a doctor based on costs, there could be longer treatment and indemnity periods, which can drive the cost up.

· On the subject of surveillance, Dulich said go with your gut. She referenced an employee that was under surveillance for a few days (one day could be a “good” day, always monitor for more than 24 hours). Come to find out, the worker had a landscaping business on the side and was later fired for fraud.

· Wainscott stressed the importance of tech advancements in the industry, and actually utilizing them to not only aid employees in the claims process, but using it for education/communications beforehand (training, etc.). 

· Dulich talked about a nurse triage line. Major retailer Nordstrom has integrated this system. So if an employee is hurt after hours, they can call the triage number, which might prevent an unneeded/expensive trip to the emergency room or provider.

· Flying a spouse or parent out to the injured worker could help bring on better outcomes, per Wilson. When the worker has the help of their “people” or community behind them, it can aid in the healing process. 

· Braden emphasized the cost of safety equipment vs. the cost of an injury. While safety equipment can seem spendy, when it is compared to the cost of an injury, shelling out the money for the equipment for prevention could put a lot less stress on the pocket book.

· Wainscott said eliminating dead ends for employees, by giving them options in their recovery process, can help get the worker back on the job. 

· Braden referenced something Wilson and other work comp players have started to catch on to: Workers’ recovery. Offering an official outline for a returning injured worker’s light duty responsibilities provides them with a formal reference to understand their tasks.

      · All panelists agreed we need to focus on our words. “Words matter,” Wainscott said. Words such as “claimants” or “investigations” put a really harsh and cold connotation on the process, Wilson said. Maintaining a more positive outlook, even in our vocabulary, can help in the healing process and getting the employee back to work, which is ultimately everyone’s goal.

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