Pub. 1 2019 Issue 4

workers' comp injuries should be followed by an occupational medicine provider who will provide follow-up care and provide you with the best treatment plan to get the injured worker back to full duty and to help the worker gain the maximum possible medical improvement. • It is more expensive. Being part of the WC Trust means you are essentially paying the bills. You are self-funded as part of NHADA’s WC Trust. Would you rather pay an average of $1500.00 to $3000.00 for a minor laceration to be sutured at the emergency room, or would you rather pay an aver- age of $250.00 to $550.00 for that same medical treatment at an occupational health facility? • Finally, it takes months if not years to get the emer- gency room bill with the necessary medical records so the bills can be processed. That means files stay open longer, a fact that may impact the experience. Some aspects may end up being modified, and rebates may be affected. We are so lucky to have amazing occupational health centers that are Association Partners of NHADA, such as Bedford Occupational and Acute Care/Express Med and Convenient MD. We have also established relationships with many other amazing occupational health providers in our managed care network here in NH; they are ready to help when treatment is needed for our injured workers. What does this mean to the employer/member and the injured worker? • Prompt care. Most of the occupational centers will let the injured worker “come right over” with just a heads-up phone call that you are on your way. This significantly reduces the time away from work for medical treatment. • Specialty referrals. If the treatment at the occupa- tional health center shows the need for a referral to a specialist, they will help with the referral. Consider treatment for a hernia as an example; in the emer- gency room, the medical staff leaves the injured worker scrambling for an appointment to a general surgeon, whereas the occupational health center will assist with the scheduling, and the injured worker can then leave the center confidently know- ing the next step. • Clear documentation. The employer will have no questions when the injured worker returns from the occupational health center about what their work capacity is, the diagnosis, and the treatment plan. • Follow-up care. Occupational health centers sched- ule regular follow-up appointments that ensure tight management of the injured workers progress, with both medical status and work status. • Communication. Most of the occupational health centers make a call to both the member and to us after treating the injured worker. They follow up with a phone call with either a fax or an email of the paperwork from the visit. This gives both the member and us the opportunity to ask questions, if needed, of the provider. • Cost containment. Occupational health centers are cost-effective in their billing practices. They offer discounts to us through the managed care network and longstanding relationships. They also provide their bills in a timely way, frequently within a week of the visit, which speeds file closures. The NHADA – WCT team is here to help you with the care of your injured workers. We strongly encourage you to call us before the injured worker looks for medical attention unless you have a life or death situation where calling 911 is obviously the best course of action. For all other injuries, a quick call to us offers you the help you need to get them the most appropriate level of care in the most appropriate facility. The claims management process starts the second we find out about the injury, even before the official paper- work arrives. Working together helps everyone involved reach the same goal: getting the injured worker back to their pre-injury state. If you have any questions about the medical care of your injured workers and options for their care, please reach out to your NHADA – WCT team. • Pete Sheffer – Claims Manager psheffer@nhada.com • Marta Silakka – Nurse Case Manager msilakka@nhada.com • Debra Handrahan – Road Adjuster dhandrahan@nhada.com • Bernie Hecht – Vocational Rehab Specialist bhecht@nhada.com • Marianne Gourgiotis – Underwriter/Adjuster mgourgiotis@nhada.com • Deb Dudley – Claims Assistant ddudley@nhada.com N E W H A M P S H I R E 19