Urgent Care Centers – Great Risk Management Technique – Becoming More Popular
The growing popularity of urgent care centers in my area reminded me of one of the best risk management techniques for Workers Comp claims. In the pre-pandemic era, the small town where I reside had two – within a 45-minute drive. Recently, I noticed that many of the hospitals had opened up remote urgent care centers.
I have been recommending walk-in clinics for 30+ years to insured clients and self-insureds. If the medical provider treats a large number of industrial injuries, controlling medical costs becomes much easier. The clinic will have a procedure on how to handle and document the initial treatment including providing drug and alcohol tests.
The initial treating physician became the most important of the Six Keys to Workers Comp Cost Savings that I created in the late 1980s. Why? – the workers comp courts consider the initial treating physician as the only impartial witness,
A caveat – for serious injuries always rush the injured employee to the nearest emergency room. Cost-savings and medical treatment control should take a backseat in these situations.
Many articles appear in this website on medical treatment risk management strategies including walk-in clinics.
The ultimate goal of any medical treatment for an injured worker involves a gainful return to work.
Recommended Source for Initial Treatment Info
Where can an employer find the information needed on what physicians or clinics to use in the area? A call to your workers comp claims department remains an easy way to find the best initial medical treatment. Most if not all insurance carriers provide a medical treatment network that will result in further cost savings. The claims department may recommend various treating physicians including urgent care centers
I still recommend calling the carrier/third party administrator to discuss the initial treatment providers. They will be glad to help you. Showing an interest in your workers comp claims usually reduces your workers comp reserves and payouts.
An industrial minded local physician can provide the same treatment as the walk-in or urgent care centers.
