Independent Assessments
There has been a lack of continuity of care and coordination of all services in the management of injured/ill workers in the past and to some degree, in today’s system. This is evidenced by prolonged delays, waiting periods, etc., all of which has impacted negatively on the expeditious rehabilitation of injured/ill workers. AOMS believes that independent occupational medical assessments out-sourced from the workplace environment offer the optimal form of early medical intervention to provide standardized monitoring, health care and rehabilitative efforts required for the management of injured/ill employees. AOMS has a proven track record in the provision of this type of service and offers both its clinics and its network of designed physicians for such assessments and patient monitoring visits. AOMS has in-house disability case managers and reporting formats to ensure a coordinated, efficient approach that leads to optimal outcomes. We can provide statistical evidence of positive results in the area of disability management from a number of our clients.
Such medical monitoring of absence will assist the employer’s attendance control program. It has been demonstrated in industry that early intervention on behalf of the employer in the form of medical absence monitoring is effective in reducing lost time, thus positively impacting on the corporate balance sheet. The client’s Human Resources Department should work closely with the occupational health provider group and develop and clearly identify each other’s roles in an attendance control program.
How does this work?
Timely independent medical examinations are conducted by AOMS physicians based on the attendance control program. Such examinations serve to determine the legitimacy and likely seriousness of the medical absence and particularly to expedite medical management, rehabilitation, and the return to work process through interaction with family physicians, physiotherapists, consultants, etc. The design of the return to work process in terms of ease back, modified duties, etc., is effected through ongoing interaction between examining physicians/disability case managers and the HR manager or supervisor. It is important that employers make early return to work programs a priority if even on a temporary basis. This is considered to be a major factor in expeditious rehabilitation and reduction in duration of disability claims, and is to be considered therapeutic in its objective.
