Pub. 1 2019 Issue 6

CHRONIC INJURIES • These include injuries that have been both- ering the employee for some time. Injuries can include an ache or a pain they can relate to a specific incident but for which they have chosen not to seek medical treatment. • Injuries should always be reported to the employer as soon as possible, but in the case of a chronic injury, the injured worker often waits, thinking the pain will go away if they give it some time. As soon as the employer has been made aware of the injury, the Employer's First Report of Injury should be completed and sent over to us right away. • A call should always be made to Marta as well. In these types of injuries, it is often the most appropriate plan to seek a higher level of specialty care vs. urgent care. An example is a shoulder that has been both- ering the employee for a few weeks; in this case, referral to an orthopedist might be the best route. • With chronic injuries there is no need to call 911 or use the emergency room. SEVERE INJURIES • These include, but are not limited to, elec- trocution, severe or deep laceration where the bleeding is uncontrolled, obvious frac- tures, head injuries, loss of consciousness, and severe eye injuries. • Call 911. Time is very important. Assign some- one to stay with the injured worker. Have as much information as possible when calling 911. • DO NOT MOVE THE INJURED WORKER UNLESS THEY ARE IN DANGER WHERE THEY ARE. ALWAYS MAKE SURE THOSE RESPONDING AND HELPING ARE KEPT SAFE AND AWAY FROM ANY DANGER SUCH AS ELECTRICITY. • As soon as you can, call NHADA – WCT! Speak to Marta or Pete and share all the information you have about the injury. The loss prevention team will then be alerted so they can become involved and help with accident investigation and take action to prevent any reoccurrence of a similar injury. If you need to notify OSHA, both the claims team and the loss prevention team will guide you through the process. • Complete and forward the Employer's First Report of Injury to us as soon as possi- ble. Don’t worry if you don’t know all the information regarding treatment and work status. The sooner we get the FROI, the sooner we can start managing this severe injury claim. • As new and updated information comes in regarding the medical status of the injured worker, whether it be from them directly, the employee’s family, or a coworker, please update us. After Hours and Weekend Injuries • These injuries should be reported right away to the supervisor or manager. • If the injury is severe, follow the same protocol as if the injury occurred during regular Monday-Friday normal business hours. • If the injury is minor/acute and treatment is necessary beyond onsite first aid, there are still options for care that are not the emergency room. Almost all areas of the state now have Urgent Care/Walk-in Care Centers that are independent or affiliated with a hospital. No appointments are necessary, and most have an onsite x-ray if one is needed. We are lucky to have two Bronze Partners of NHADA who supply these services: ☐ Convenient MD — they have locations in Bedford, Concord, Dover, Exeter/Stratham, Keene, Merrimack, Nashua, Wind- ham, and Portsmouth with new locations in the works, so stay tuned! Their hours are 8 a.m.-8 p.m., seven days per week; you can walk in with no appointment. They offer to follow up with workers' comp injury management in addition to manag- ing initial visits. X-ray is onsite at all their locations. ☐ Express Med/BOAC — they have two locations in Manchester as well as a location in Salem. Their hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m.-7 p.m., and Saturdays 9 a.m.-4 p.m., at the Down- town Manchester location and the Salem locations. The Airport location in Manchester is open Monday through Friday 8 a.m.-6 p.m. They offer initial management, can follow up with workers, comp injury management, and have x-ray onsite as well. • When presenting to urgent care, here are some tips to make it go smoothly: ☐ The injured worker should always tell the center they are seeking treatment for a work-related injury ☐ They should always share the name and address of their employer ☐ They should always identify themselves as part of NHADA ☐ They should never leave the center without a copy of the NH Workers' Compensation Medical Form and they should share a copy of this form with the employer when they return • For more information on Urgent Care Centers near you, please contact NHADA — WCT and we will share all your options with you. • If the injury is chronic, this can wait until the next business day and a call can then be made to Marta for assistance with a referral for care. • The Employers' First Report of Injury should be completed and sent to NHADA as soon as possible. In the event the person who fills the FROI out is not there after hours or on the weekend, make sure they are notified as soon as they return to the office. • In the event of after hours or weekend injuries, always remember to call NHADA on the next business day. Consider making “how to respond to workplace injuries” part of your new employee orientation. There are many ways the NHADA — WCT team can help you with this: • Deb Handrahan is available to help members understand and comply with the workers' compensation system. She can attend a safety meeting, provide 1:1 training with HR and management as well as attend management meetings. •Marta Silakka is available to assist with any questions about the medical management of the injury. • Pete Sheffer is a great resource for those difficult questions when it comes to workers' comp. • The NHADA Loss Prevention team can attend safety committee meetings and is available to teach your employees both CPR and First Aid. Please contact us. We look forward to helping you. N E W H A M P S H I R E 5