Case Management of the Older Worker

You might be a boomer if:

The Beatles

You know why they call it "dialing" a phone
You researched a topic using your parents' set of encyclopedias
You remember Joe Namath in pantyhose

As our case managers log in their case updates, I noticed several claimants that are baby boomers, injured in the workplace. Stacy Mathis, RN just closed a file on an injured fireman. His work injury involve several body parts, and his treatment planning had to take into consideration a pre-existing knee surgery and mental depression. From day one, this injured worker stated his goal was to get back to work, which he did achieve. Jackie Cooper, RN has an ongoing file where the injured worker was just shy a few months from retiring, and will lose all benefits if she cannot complete her tenure.

Case Management of aging employees takes into consideration these 3 key factors:

Comorbidities - the older we are, the more likely we are to have other pre-existing medical issues such as hypertension, arthritis, or even gastric reflux. Any comorbidity impacts not only the treatment administered for a work injury, but also the individual's response to treatment.
Recovery Time - due to aging, many adults have weaker muscles, decreased range of motion and flexibility, and need not only additional healing time, but also sometimes need work conditioning in order to return to their job demands.
Work Ethic - on the positive side, older workers tend to have a good work ethic; a can-do attitude.

Of these factors, I dare say work ethic is the strongest indicator of successful recovery and Return to Work. Case Managers try to work with the employer and injured worker to facilitate a positive outcome through communications and understanding of special needs.

But the question remains, Will you still need me When I'm 64? (Click to listen)

Comments

Frequent Flyer Program

A referral came in yesterday prefaced by the label, "This is one of our frequent flyers!" If you deal with workers compensation, you know what that means - an employee that has filed several work injury claims that many times are associated with bizarre, or routine circumstances that make us question validity versus some underlying motive. As Case Managers, when we receive one of these referrals, there are 3 strategies that we will employ in our treatment plan. The first and most important strategy is Choice of Physician . In Arkansas, the employer has the right to first choice of physician. We highly recommend employers take advantage of that and choose the best specialty fit for each injury on a case-by case basis. In these situations, the physician should also be one that we know is willing to review all information presented - from the injured worker, from the employer, and any medical information from the case manager. The seco...

Case Management GPS

W The next time I purchase a new vehicle there are several features I have on my wish list. For as much as we case managers travel, Navigation is high on the priority scale to make life easier. Under the pressure of arriving at a physician appointment on time, it's never a good feeling to take a wrong turn or get lost. There are times our role as a case manager is much like a navigator. Deana Scott, RN had that experience just yesterday while attending a physician visit. After three years of treatment for a work injury, the physician had nothing further to offer, and there appeared to be issues of malingering and symptom magnification. There was a point at which the physician actually had a look in his eye of being lost as far as how to bring the treatment course to an end. Confusion centered around the injured worker's return to work goals. It's at times like this, a Case Manager is able to maintain focus and much like a navigato...

Crystal's Small Task Saves Big Bucks!

A very special customer to JMS requested a small task in obtaining an impairment rating from a physician. There seemed to be some communication issues, between the adjuster and the physician. The file initially did not have any case management services to help guide the treatment. and at the end of the process nearing file closure, there was a very high impairment rating assigned by the treating physician. Crystal Gilbert, RN got to work! Performing a file review, she found discrepancies with the past surgical history of the injured worker. The injured worker had failed to give an accurate medical history. We gathered and provided the treating physician with medical records showing a prior WC injury to the same extremity and prior surgery to the same extremity of injury. Crystal was able to get a face to face meeting with the physician - because she's just that awesome - and review the medical records and providing documentation of the prior impairment ratin...

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