Whether you are in the workers’ compensation or healthcare industry, the flipping of the script can be beneficial for your organization. The shift can result in improvements across all dimensions, including client satisfaction and employee productivity. Injured workers with a positive experience at the workers’ compensation office could return to work faster and be less likely to re-injure themselves, benefiting both employers and carriers. Here are some of the benefits of a flipped script.
Technology solutions for workers’ compensation organizations
With so many different data points to analyze, it’s easy to see how technology can streamline the work of a workers’ compensation organization. Whether it’s a complex injury or a simple physical impairment, technology can help improve the overall experience for all stakeholders, including injured workers. Luckily, there are plenty of ways to incorporate analytics into your operations to maximize your productivity. Consider the following tips to get the most out of technology in workers’ comp.
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused some controversy among workers’ compensation organizations. In Illinois, HB2455 created a rebuttable presumption that workers must contract the disease in the course of employment. This legislation would be applied only to essential workers, who must contract the virus during the course of employment. Colorado, on the other hand, has resisted attempts to expand the compensability of COVID-19 to all workers. That is because their state legislature has introduced a bill, SB20-216, which would raise the premiums to employers.
Medical bill review
Medical bills make up a large portion of workers’ compensation costs, but they can be significantly increased when medical bills are excessive or contain billing mistakes. In fact, about 80 percent of medical bills contain errors. Medical charges can be excessive and cause costs to spiral out of control. Medical bill review services can help remedy this problem. Here are five ways medical bill review can improve the effectiveness of your claims team. A comprehensive medical bill review system ensures accurate and timely billing.
Telemedicine initiatives
As the health care industry shifts towards a more consumer-centric model, workers’ compensation organizations should be at the forefront of telemedicine initiatives. While telemedicine is not new, the sector is now about 1.8 percent of the entire health care market, and the number of workers’ compensation claims is steadily decreasing. With all states in the U.S. now adopting some form of telemedicine, this may be the last frontier for new offerings.
Integrated healthcare ecosystem
The Integrated healthcare ecosystem is changing the way that workers’ compensation organizations operate. These organizations are shifting their operations away from the traditional model towards more modern, data-driven ones. By adopting an agile operating model, they are able to improve the prevention and outcomes of injured workers. For example, they are now able to use a single platform for health care and dental benefits. In addition to allowing for more collaboration, integrated healthcare systems enable organizations to share health information among employees.
Expertise required in workers’ compensation cases
Medical experts are often called upon for workers’ compensation cases. The expertise of these experts is crucial for the appeals process and litigation. These individuals can give expert opinion and report on employee claims and compensation benefits. Expert witnesses may also be called upon to explain various complex issues in court. In this article, we’ll look at some common scenarios where expert witnesses are needed. Below, we’ll explore the most common ones.