By Brian Murphy, PT, DPT, COMT, Vice President of Physician Strategy and Market Development, One Call
In a world where self-help gurus, productivity experts, and social media accounts constantly offer “hacks” – useful strategies or techniques for living a more maximized and improved life – implementing the right ones within workers’ compensation is essential.
Much like the typical life hacks of how to save time and money, four evidence-based strategies – early physical therapy, expressing empathy, comprehensive medical examinations, and a biopsychosocial approach – are all helpful in reducing recovery time for injured workers and decreasing claim costs. They may not show up in your newsfeed the next time you open Instagram or TikTok, but they all possess the power to transform the workers’ compensation process by creating a more efficient and supportive path to recovery.
1) Early Intervention
Physical therapy is a crucial element in helping injured workers regain function and strength. Research shows early PT intervention helps prevent injuries from worsening, reducing the risk of chronic pain or lingering physical issues that often prolong recovery. Additionally, early intervention increases the chances of a shortened and full recovery, which helps alleviate the claims process.
Incorporating physical therapy early also has psychological benefits. Injured workers feel reassured their injury is being actively treated, easing anxiety and uncertainty. This hack produces a structured path toward improvement and empowers injured workers to take an active role in their healing process, making them feel more confident about returning to their duties.
Other benefits of early intervention include:
- Better pain control
- Improved mobility
- Restored physical strength
- Decreased need for advanced imaging, additional physician visits, and opioid medications1
2) Expressing Empathy
A simple, yet highly effective hack to support injured workers is expressing empathy. Injured workers who feel understood and supported are more likely to remain engaged and motivated throughout the recovery process. On the other hand, lack of empathy may produce feelings of isolation, resentment, and anxiousness. These negative emotions could slow down recovery or lead to psychological challenges, creating a possible secondary injury and extending the life of the claim.
Expressing empathy starts with clear communication. Employers and claims administrators should:
- Regularly check in with injured workers
- Show genuine concern for their wellbeing
- Keep them informed of the claim’s progress
Studies show injured workers who feel supported by their employers have shorter recovery times and are less likely to seek legal intervention, which can significantly prolong a claim and increase costs. Being willing to accommodate work restrictions or allowing modified duties demonstrates the company values the employee’s health.2 Creating an environment where injured workers feel their wellbeing is genuinely valued reduces stress and promotes a faster, more cooperative claim resolution.
3) Comprehensive Examinations
After an injury occurs, a comprehensive medical examination is essential to accurately assess the condition and design an effective treatment plan. A thorough exam helps ensure all possible relevant impairments are identified and prevents issues from being overlooked or misdiagnosed. It is imperative to choose medical providers, including physical therapists, who offer complete and accurate documentation of their findings.
Incomplete or inaccurate exams can cause prolonged pain or additional treatment for the injured worker, resulting in extended and complicated claims. A comprehensive medical exam establishes an accurate baseline and leads to a targeted treatment plan, enabling medical professionals to set clear recovery goals and timelines. Through this hack, employers help employees and claims professionals plan a more effective return-to-work strategy.
4) Biopsychosocial Approach
A biopsychosocial approach to recovery considers the psychological and social factors that could impact an employee’s healing, along with the physical aspects of an injury. This holistic perspective recognizes recovery is influenced by mental health, social support, and workplace culture. Employers who address these dimensions help advocate for a complete and timely recovery.
An example of a biopsychosocial approach involves considering how stress, anxiety, or depression impact an employee’s physical recovery. Psychological factors may inhibit an employee’s pain perception, motivation, and recovery outlook.3 By integrating mental health support into the treatment plan, injured workers learn to manage the emotional challenges of recovery, leading to a more positive and efficient healing process. Ensuring the injured worker has access to their employer’s Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and educating them on practicing mindfulness techniques are just two major ways of supporting an injured worker’s mental health.
For injured workers who feel isolated, a biopsychosocial approach encourages employers to foster supportive work environments and consistent communication. These social factors play a significant role, as they help maintain positive relationships amongst the employer, employee, medical providers, and claims professionals, creating a cohesive and positive environment for recovery. 4
The workers’ compensation process is a complicated system with complex issues. With these approaches, employers and injured workers alike can reap the benefits of a smoother journey back to productivity and wellbeing, while developing a healthier and more engaged workforce. Employers and payers experience quicker claim resolutions, resulting in lower costs and better outcomes. Likewise, injured workers return to work faster, with fewer financial and emotional setbacks. So, let’s work together to incorporate these strategies, improve the process, and set our injured workers up for success.
Sources
1 Fritz JM, Childs JD, Wainner RS, Flynn TW. Primary care referral of patients with low back pain to physical therapy: impact on future health care utilization and costs. Spine 2012 Dec 1;37(25):2114-21.
2 Jansen J, van Ooijen R, Koning PWC, Boot CRL, Brouwer S. The Role of the Employer in Supporting Work Participation of Workers with Disabilities: A Systematic Literature Review Using an Interdisciplinary Approach. J Occup Rehabil. 2021 Dec;31(4):916-949.
3 Dunn M, Rushton AB, Mistry J, Soundy A, Heneghan NR. The biopsychosocial factors associated with development of chronic musculoskeletal pain. An umbrella review and meta-analysis of observational systematic reviews. PLoS One. 2024 Apr 1;19(4)
4 White C, Green RA, Ferguson S, Anderson SL, Howe C, Sun J, Buys N. The Influence of Social Support and Social Integration Factors on Return to Work Outcomes for Individuals with Work-Related Injuries: A Systematic Review. J Occup Rehabil. 2019 Sep;29(3):636-659.
This article first appeared in WorkCompWire.
Stay in touch! Subscribe to the One Call blog to get more updates like this, along with industry news and free continuing education opportunities.