WCTL's Disability Management Blog

Workers' Comp Rehab programs & Graduated Return to Work PART 2

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THIS IS PART 2 OF A 2 PART ARTICLE

Traditional disability management programs have been slow to embrace these findings as:

• Rehabilitation Facilities retained by the WCB to perform secondary/ tertiary assessments profit from referring employees into their own ½ day to full day rehabilitation programs. GRTW programs allow these rehabilitation providers to profit from placing injured employees into costly rehabilitation programs while appearing to support accommodation of an effective Modified Work plan.
• Attending Physicians and Employers do not fully understand the impact Modified Work placements have on reducing disability claim durations.
• Employers do not understand the financial impact of time loss payment and rehabilitation referrals. The experience rated cost of a single WCB claim referred for secondary assessment with referral to rehabilitation and a 6 week graduated return to work program can result in $15,000.00 in future assessment premium cost.

It should be noted that the Rehabilitation / GRTW model is appropriate in treating more serious injuries with extended full return to work goal-dates.  Although more aggressive medical treatment plans from the time of injury, would typically promote physiotherapy throughout the period of disability to prevent muscle de-conditioning and deterioration thereby eliminating the need for a comprehensive tertiary care program.

Unfortunately, these models are being utilized on shorter term disability   as neither Attending Physicians, Employers, the WCB nor other Insurance carriers are providing adequate medical management from date of injury. Even if these interventions were 100% effective in achieving FTW outcomes, the programs cannot be cost rationalized.