Evaluation of the North Country on the Job Network: a model of facilitated care for injured workers in rural upstate New York.
We describe the evaluation of a community-based program designed to facilitate access to care and return to work for injured workers in a rural, medically underserved area in upstate New York. Providers are recruited to provide easily accessible care and are oriented to concepts of transitional duty and rapid return to work as medically appropriate; companies are recruited with the agreement to provide transitional work for injured employees. Registered nurses, hired by the local hospital, serve as case coordinators to facilitate care and coordinate communications among all parties. Over 3000 injured workers received care through the program in the first 56 months, with a decline in the number of transitional days over time. The number of days that the cases remain open has steadily declined, and the number of return-to-work cases has increased. The success of this initiative provides an excellent background for continued improvement in delivery of care to injured workers and proactive efforts at improving workplace safety and health in a rural area.
Lipscomb
Hester J
HJ
Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Box 3834, Durham, NC 27710, USA. hester.lipscomb@duke.edu
Moon
Samuel D
SD
Li
Leiming
L
Pompeii
Lisa
L
Kennedy
Margaret Q
MQ
D000062:Accidents, Occupational / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000328:Adult; D019090:Case Management; D003153:Community Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D015601:Injury Severity Score; D008297:Male; D008507:Medically Underserved Area; D008875:Middle Aged; D009518:New York; D010347:Patient Care Planning; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012042:Registries; D012050:Rehabilitation, Vocational; D019035:Rural Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000534:rehabilitation*