A nurse triage program enables employees to call a medical professional for guidance. They report their injury and immediately get directions on what to do next. For example, a worker who slips and falls while mopping the floor will be assessed over the phone and advised whether to visit a medical professional or get some ice and simple rest. It’s important to note that if the injury is severe or life threatening 911 should be called.
Implementing a nurse triage hotline is a key way a business can contain its work comp costs. This blog post will help insurance agents understand how this program can benefit your clients.
Lowers worker’s compensation costs
The claims reported to the nurse triage hotline can vary greatly in severity. The good news is, roughly 47% of these claims handled by nurse triage result in no claim being filed – meaning 0 actual claim expenses.
Nurse triage helps direct injured workers to the kind of treatment they need so small, recoverable bruises don’t escalate into huge bills at the ER or Clinic. Also, some injuries may worsen over time once the worker goes home. A 24/7 nurse triage hotline option enables them to get the medical attention they need as soon as possible, potentially helping them reduce the severity and/or medical expenses of their injury. Utilizing Nurse Triage also removes the decision making from employees or managers and connects the injured worker with a medical professional instantly.
With fewer claims filed and less worker medical expenses to worry about, worker’s comp costs may be reduced. Your client can leverage this program to avoid paying for the injury and save a significant amount in the long run.
Encourages prompt injury reporting
The first 24 hours after an injury is critical. A nurse triage program encourages employees to report injuries before they get out of hand with just a phone call. A nurse triage program available 24/7 can effectively reduce lag times when it comes to employees reporting their injuries.
For example: Let’s say an employee slips and hurts their wrist. They don’t know what to do next and are embarrassed. Instead of seeking care they decide to not say anything. Weeks go by and they notice their wrist is getting worse. It gets to the point where they can’t do their job, and they decide to formally file a claim. A period of time has now gone by where it’s difficult to verify the facts, investigate the cause of the claim and the treatment is more costly because of delays in medical care. This can lead to additional medical expenses, If the employee is unable to return to work now your client must scramble to fulfill that person’s duties. Big picture, it affects employee’s livelihood and your client will spend more money on future premium. The solution? The nurse triage gives employees an outlet to seek medical help and contain injures before they become bigger claims.
Fast Documentation
With swift injury reporting via the nurse triage, the claim gets documented immediately. A report can be sent to you, your client, the HR department, and other relevant parties. This can help expedite the claims process and allows everyone to more quickly work towards a positive claim outcome. This has a positive effect on claim reserves, having a positive effect on the experience mod.
Recap on Nurse Triage
Educating your clients is a great way to add value and increase retention. If you want to be the trusted work comp professional, reach out to us at Mod Advisor. Our software allows you to present the problem though our reports and implement a solution, like a nurse triage program, with our solution center.