Care management of work injuries: results of a 1-year pilot outcome assurance program.
A 1-year pilot study was conducted, linking the efforts of a workers' compensation managed care organization with those of an occupational health clinic and emergency department of manage work-related injuries and associated work disability. Sustained (> 90 day), injury-specific return-to-work outcomes, modified by job title, were compared with loosely managed and well-managed benchmarks. The mean return-to-work outcome, measured as lost workdays (LWDs), was 5.11 +/- 21.0 LWDs for 418 workers. These results exceeded benchmarks for both loosely managed care, 14.0 +/- 17.2 LWDs, P < 0.001 (8.9 fewer LWDs/case), and optimally case-managed care, 6.99 +/- 7.64 LWDs, P = 0.044 (1.9 fewer LWDs/case). An estimate of the value of these saved LWDs to the employers-at $200 per workday was $740,400 for the loosely managed benchmarks and $157,000 for the well-managed benchmarks. The Outcome Assurance Program virtually eliminated typical delays in the diagnosis and medical management of these injured workers.
Linz
D H
DH
TriHealth Corporate Health Services, 11129 Kenwood Road, Cincinnati, OH 45242. Douglas_Linz@TriHealth.com
Ford
L F
LF
Nightingale
M J
MJ
Shannon
P L
PL
Davin
J S
JS
Bradford
C O
CO
Shepherd
C D
CD
D000062:Accidents, Occupational / Q000191:economics; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008329:Managed Care Programs / Q000458:organization & administration*; D008875:Middle Aged; D016272:Occupational Health; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care; D018582:Sick Leave / Q000191:economics; D014942:Workers' Compensation / Q000191:economics