Employer-driven injury management systems

Dr Christine Randall

Rehabilitation Counselling program convenor

School of Human Services & SW

School of Human Services & SW

Key points:1. Shift in focus from liability/eligibility to functional goals is needed.

2. Employer driven fully integrated prevention and injury management systems, such as the Disability Management model, are producing better outcomes for large companies.

3. There are many documented examples of companies that have benefited from investing in IM systems.

4. IM systems are most effective when they are tailored to individual organisations.

5. All stakeholders must be involved in the design of the IM system to ensure ownership.

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Features of successful IM systems• Employer (rather than insurance) driven

• Acknowledge importance of organisational culture

• Take a systems approach with a focus on organisational context

• Fully integrated into the organisation at all levels

• Fully integrated across all aspects of employee wellness, including prevention and rehabilitation

• Actively involves all stakeholders at all levels

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Features of Disability Management• joint labour-management commitment and involvement

• early intervention and early return-to-work philosophy

• multidisciplinary interventions

• case management/case coordination

• effective disability prevention strategies » (Shrey, et.al., 2006, p. 58).

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Features of DM ….• employee education and involvement

• utilisation of employer-based and community resources

• supportive policies and procedures to facilitate accommodations and jobsite modifications

• system that ensures accountability of all parties

• management information system for program evaluation» (Shrey, et.al., 2006, p. 58).

Business case for employer-driven IM• Decrease human costs of illness, injury & disability

• Decrease financial costs (direct & indirect)

• Decrease absenteeism, presenteeism & turn over

• Improve employee satisfaction & productivity

• Improve workplace culture & competitive advantage

• Optimise recruitment & retention of talented employees

• Contribute to corporate strategic plan

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Automotive Manufacturing

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Petrochemical company (Skisak, et al., 2006)

• report absence on Day 1 & Day 4 & case manage > 4 days

• internet CM tool & training for all stakeholders to promote RTW

• process responsibility flow charts

• case manager advocates for employee & promotes ownership of health

• senior management informed & involved

• data to highlight areas for improvement & promote accountability

• annual customer satisfaction survey sent to rehabilitated employees

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Emergency services

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Disease model stress managementStages General

interventionStress prevention

Focus Comprehensive approach

Primary Education & awareness

Identify & reduce stressors

Stressor directed

Individual & organisational stressors targeted

Secondary Initiatives aimed at those exposed

Detect & manage stress

Response directed

Individual & organisational support & communication

Tertiary Treatment, management, support

Treat & rehabilitate stress illness

Symptom directed

Individual & organisational interventions

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11School of Human Services & SW

More examples of successful employersSteelcase Corporation – office furniture manufacturer

- saved millions of dollars

Pitney-Bowes Inc – mail & message management services

- reduced number of claims by 15%

- reduced days lost to absence by 42%

Southern California Edison – power company

- significantly reduced injury/disability related expenditure

General Electric Company – saved significant dollars via an integrated disability management program

BankWest (WA) – reduced average time lost from 14.4 to 3.2 weeks

- reduced average cost per claim by 61%

But wait there’s more …General Motors Buick-Oldsmobile-Cadillac

Herman Miller Long Island Railroad

Weyerhaeuser Walboro

Wil-Burt City of Winnepeg

HR Institute at AFL-CIO

Pitney Bowes Inc. CIGNA group

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Key messages• Not 1 size fits all, but:

• All successful companies have shifted focus from obligations to IM

• All have invested in IM systems and report excellent returns

• All report benefits beyond successful IM

• Unique organizational needs & structures require different programs

• Good outcomes achieved, provided stakeholders are involved in design & implementation of programs is specific to organisational needs

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14School of Human Services & SW

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Amick, B., Habeck, R.V., Hunt, A., Fossel, A.H., Chapin, R.B., Keller, H., & Katz, J.N. (2000). Measuring the impact of organizational behaviours on work disability prevention and management. Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation 10, 21-38.

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Buys, N. & Randall, C. (2009). Disability Management: A global response to disability in the workplace. In C. Marshall, E. Kendall, M. Banks & R. Gover (Eds.) Disabilities: Insights from across fields and around the world. (Vol. 3).

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Ceniceros, R. (2010). Disability accommodation programs cut costs. Business Insurance, 44(33), 24-24.

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Lipold, A.G. (2000). Managing the guy who isn't there. Business and Health 18(10), 25-30.

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McDonald, C. (2010). Integrated disability management fuels power company's comp claim success. National Underwriter. P & C, 114(29), 12-13, 27.

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Shrey, D.E. (2006). Disability management and return-to-work coordination. The Rehabilitation Professional, 14(4), 28-29.

Shrey, D.E., Hursh, N., Gallina, P., Slinn, S., & White A. (2006). Disability management best practices and joint labour-management collaboration. International Journal of Disability Management Research, 1(1), 52-63.

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20School of Human Services & SW

University programsGraduate Certificate in Case Management (personal injury)

• Specific to insurance-based rehabilitation industry

• Includes rehabilitation case management, injury management, & interpersonal skills

Master of Rehabilitation Counselling – new in 2014

• Includes case management, rehabilitation counselling, vocational evaluation, job development & placement, injury management, applied counselling, disability studies, industry practicum, & research methods.

Dr Christine Randall

c.randall@griffith.edu.au 07 5552 9343