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Online Doctor Visits – Workers Comp Community Acceptance?

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Will Workers Comp Turn To Online Doctor Visits?

Online doctor visits are now readily available and inexpensive.   I came across the DoctorsOnDemand website last night.

Some of the notations that peaked my interest from their website were:

Picture Of Woman Doing Online Doctor Visits On Computer
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  • Free visit- everyone likes free stuff
  • All board-certified physicians
  • Android/Iphone Apps
  • $55  or $90 for Skype visit
  • $40 per visit- check employer page
  • 90 seconds to physician access

I did not actually see any notation for WC treatment.   However, my Six Keys To Saving On Workers Comp point out that quick medical access is a huge claims cost saver.

As WC lags so far behind on most subjects, hopefully some company, insurer, TPA, or this website will take the bull by the horns and start using e-medicine.   I am sure there are many legal hurdles to having  this service for WC.

The NWCDC (National Workers Comp and Disability Conference) last November in Las Vegas had a few vendors that mentioned e-medicine platforms.   No one company was pushing the envelope similar to the Doctors On Demand website.

One of the main concerns from a claims standpoint would be the lack of an in-person visit to establish legitimacy of injury, etc.   An e-visit could be excellent follow up care as an alternate to an in-person doctor’s office visit.

The co-founder of the service was none other than Dr. Phil.  Check out their press section under the Press tab.   The list of sources is very impressive.

The closest info that I found to a WC injury was their sports injury page.

Picture Of Man Doing Online Doctor Visits On Computer
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According to the website:

Sports and exercise activities are an important part of any healthy lifestyle. But with increased activity comes the increased risk of injury. In the absence of an obviously severe injury like a broken bone, most doctor’s visits concerning sports injuries are patients looking for reassurance that the injury is not more severe.

Sports injuries often fall into either a minor category (ankle sprains, wrist sprains, shoulder or rib soreness) or a severe category (broken bone, severely torn ligament/tendon).

The experience of a diagnosis and evaluation of sports injuries with a Doctor On Demand Video Visit is exactly like being in a doctor’s office. For example, if you injured your ankle playing basketball, the physician can determine the severity of your injuries through a few exercises, learning more about where it hurts and the degree of pain on a scale of 1-10. If the physician determines your injury is severe (e.g. a broken bone or tear) then the physician may recommend follow-up with a specialist. And if it’s a simple sprain, home care like icing or a brace may be all that you need. With chronic cases like tennis elbow or pitcher’s arm, the same thing is true –– the physician can often determine severity and treat minor injuries through a Doctor On Demand Video Visit.

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James J Moore - Workers Comp Expert

Raleigh, NC, United States

About The Author...

James founded a Workers’ Compensation consulting firm, J&L Risk Management Consultants, Inc. in 1996. J&L’s mission is to reduce our clients’ Workers Compensation premiums by using time-tested techniques. J&L’s claims, premium, reserve and Experience Mod reviews have saved employers over $9.8 million in earned premiums over the last three years. J&L has saved numerous companies from bankruptcy proceedings as a result of insurance overpayments.

James has over 27 years of experience in insurance claims, audit, and underwriting, specializing in Workers’ Compensation. He has supervised, and managed the administration of Workers’ Compensation claims, and underwriting in over 45 states. His professional experience includes being the Director of Risk Management for the North Carolina School Boards Association. He created a very successful Workers’ Compensation Injury Rehabilitation Unit for school personnel.

James’s educational background, which centered on computer technology, culminated in earning a Masters of Business Administration (MBA); an Associate in Claims designation (AIC); and an Associate in Risk Management designation (ARM). He is a Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC) and a licensed financial advisor. The NC Department of Insurance has certified him as an insurance instructor. He also possesses a Bachelors’ Degree in Actuarial Science.

LexisNexis has twice recognized his blog as one of the Top 25 Blogs on Workers’ Compensation. J&L has been listed in AM Best’s Preferred Providers Directory for Insurance Experts – Workers Compensation for over eight years. He recently won the prestigious Baucom Shine Lifetime Achievement Award for his volunteer contributions to the area of risk management and safety. James was recently named as an instructor for the prestigious Insurance Academy.

James is on the Board of Directors and Treasurer of the North Carolina Mid-State Safety Council. He has published two manuals on Workers’ Compensation and three different claims processing manuals. He has also written and has been quoted in numerous articles on reducing Workers’ Compensation costs for public and private employers. James publishes a weekly newsletter with 7,000 readers.

He currently possess press credentials and am invited to various national Workers Compensation conferences as a reporter.

James’s articles or interviews on Workers’ Compensation have appeared in the following publications or websites:

  • Risk and Insurance Management Society (RIMS)
  • Entrepreneur Magazine
  • Bloomberg Business News
  • WorkCompCentral.com
  • Claims Magazine
  • Risk & Insurance Magazine
  • Insurance Journal
  • Workers Compensation.com
  • LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and other social media sites
  • Various trade publications

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