Check out the newly revised ecovery website!

After months of planning and development, we are proud to unveil the newly updated ecovery Return to Wellness section of our website. 




Highlights of the site include:
- Audience specific site pages for Employers, Injured Workers, Agents and Medical Providers
- Expanded ecovery library (must be logged in to access)
- Jurisdictionally relevant materials for your location
- Pages of useful, relevant, and up-to-date information

If you are already an Eastern policy holder or agency partner, you will have immediate access to these valuable tools, simply by utilizing your login for the eains.com site.

We would love to hear your feedback on the site.  We are very pleased to offer these innovative resources to our partners and thank them for their commitment to Return to Wellness.

Attributes of Successful RTW Programs

Some have it, others don't, but everyone wants it.  No, I'm not talking about the latest gadget from Apple.  I'm talking about a successful RTW program. Many of the criteria that make a RTW program effective are what also make any other company initiative successful.

Awareness
If employees don't know about their company's RTW program, it will make implementation much more difficult when an injury occurs.  Conversely, if I am an employee of a company that has a well advertised RTW program, I know that if I sustain a work-related injury, my employer is going to work with me to bring me back to work. This serves two very important purposes.  It sends the message that being injured on the job does not = staying home.  It also sends reassurance that my job is more secure.

Support from the Top
If the head of the company does not take RTW seriously, neither will senior management.  If senior management doesn’t make it a priority, neither will middle management. This trickle-down effect can have the same impact if the CEO and management teams take RTW very seriously.  The culture of the company is dictated by the C-suite.  RTW programs should be viewed not as something we have to do, but something that the company believes is the right thing to do.

Accountability
A RTW program requires clearly defined roles and individuals to be held accountable.  Who is doing what is important in making sure that each task gets done and that nothing “falls between the cracks.”  This goes for injured workers, supervisors, HR and claim representatives.  If you don’t know your role and its importance, ask.

Preparedness
Unless you can predict the future, you will never know when a work injury will occur.  Having a list of modified duty tasks for each department will enable you to transition injured employees back to work faster.  If you are in a state the does not permit “make-work,” identify other jobs that exist in your company that are less physically demanding.  If you wait until a work injury happens to try and come up with modified duty, it can take weeks.  In the meantime, the injured worker is at home not receiving the physical benefits of RTW, while they could be at work doing some type of productive activity.  Save time, money and production by being prepared.

If you are just starting a RTW program, or looking to improve your current program, and would like further assistance or information, feel free to contact your Eastern Claim Representative, Risk Management Consultant, or Return to Work Specialist.  You can also visit Eastern Alliance Insurance Groups' website for additional resources and information.

Why following RTW restrictions is Imperative

A recent article in Business Insurance highlights the importance of adhering to and respecting the restrictions placed upon an injured worker by their treating physician. In an article entitled "Metro-North violated saftey act in forcing injuredy employee back to work:  OSHA", the employer allegedly ordered an injured worker to return to work at his regular job, despite an initial medical opinion that the injured worker was totally disabled.  Per the article, the OSHA report filed against the employer also alleges that the employer allegedly "forced" the treating provider (an on-site occupational health facility) to release the injured worker back to work regular duty. 

From a RTW perspective, this article demonstrates three very important lessons for employers (and insurance carriers) who are seeking to reduce insurance costs by offering modified duty to injured workers.

1.  At all times, all parties involved must adhere to and respect a medical provider's restrictions.  This means that the injured worker should follow these restrictions at work and at home.  Employers must also acknowlege the restrictions and not ask the injured worker to perform any duties outside of the prescribed limitations.  Restrictions are in place for a reason.  Although we may not always agree with them, they are typically in the interest of the injured worker's (and employer's) best interest.  If you are concerned with a total disability opinion rendered by a doctor, send them a copy of your proposed modified duty job and see if they will allow the injured worker to work modified duty.  In many cases, if doctors do not have a clear idea of what modified duty options are available, they cannot make an informed decision to release them to modified duty work.

2.  In most (if not all) jurisdictions, it is illegal for employers to retaliate against employees who file for workers' compensation benefits.  In this article, OSHA states that the employer's actions constituted retalitation, which resulted in fines and attorney fees close to $20,000.  Employers cannot force, or threaten employees, to get them the return to work.  If an injured worker fails to RTW after being offered a job, the employer should notify their claim representative who will advise of the appropriate avenues provided by their state's workers' compensation Act and/or regulations.

3.  This article does not mean that employers should avoid offering modified duty.  It does, however, illustrate the importance of employers acting in good faith when making modified duty job offers, obtaining the appropriate documentation, and discussing any concerns with their insurance carrier prior to acting upon emotion or initial instinct.  A well-documented, good faith job offer will serve employers much better.

The Importance of Job Analysis Forms

One of the often overlooked tools for facilitating return to wellness (RTW) is the Job Analysis (JA) form.  A JA is a list of the physical requirements and environmental conditions for a specific job, including the amount and frequency of types of activities the job requires.  There are two types of JAs to consider when effectively navigating RTW:  pre-injury JAs and modified duty JAs.  Some jurisdictions already have state forms used for these, many do not.  Your Eastern Claim Representative can provide you with copies of each form.

Why have pre-injury JAs on file for each job at your company?

When an injured worker (IW) goes to the doctor to discuss their restrictions, a pre-injury JA helps the doctor have a better understanding of the physical and environmental demands of the IW's job.  Maybe the IW is required to occasionally lift 50 lbs., but the majority of their job involves sedentary type work.  Instead of totally disabling the IW, the doctor could approve a portion of the job, thereby creating a modified duty opportunity for the IW and Employer.  It also gives the treating providers an idea of what level of physical ability the IW should work toward in physical therapy or work hardening.

What is the purpose of modified duty JAs?

When an IW or a Nurse Case Manager (NCM) asks the doctor if the IW can return to modified duty work, it helps to have a clear explanation of what activities the IW will be required to perform and the frequency/duration of these activities.  It also creates an understanding as to what the IW can and cannot do at work, as to prevent re-injury.  Supervisors or Line Managers who overseeing the IW's transition back to work will also benefit from this.

Modified duty JAs enable IWs to make an informed decision in response to a job offer.  They know what is expected of them if they return to modified duty.  In other words, they aren't just deciding whether they can return to modified duty based on a vaguely described position in the job offer letter.

Employers should keep current JAs on file for each position, and create a bank of modified duty JAs in the event of a lost time work injury.  These small steps will expedite the successful transition of returning the IW (and the Employer's business) to wellness.  Your Eastern Risk Management Consultants and Claims team can assist you with this investment.   These documents will also be available on our website in the coming weeks.

Welcome!

Welcome to the ecovery Return to Wellness blog!  The purpose of this blog is to provide up to date, relevant information to our ecovery partners, and to empower them to acheive success with their return to wellness endeavors.

Posts will be updated weekly, so sign up to receive notifcations of new postings.  If you have a particular topic you would like to learn more about regarding return to wellness, or ecovery in general, please email us at ecovery@eains.com.

We are glad that you stopped by and hope that you find this to be a useful tool and source of information.

Thank you and check back soon!