In this episode, special guest, Randy Backer, CEO of MedCall Advisors, chats with the ADJUSTED team about telemedicine and the rise of these programs in the workers’ compensation space. 

Telemedicne

TELEMEDICINE IS A NEW INDUSTRY WITH CLASSIC ROOTS:  It’s based on a simple concept, which is to be able to connect with a doctor. Several decades ago, it was very common to call your doctor if you had a question or concern. It didn’t matter what time of day it was; you could call and get instructions on what to do. This concept has greatly changed over the years, and it can very difficult to obtain treatment without going to the ER or Urgent Care. Telemedicine has grown rapidly over the last ten years, with different types of care. This growth was in response to the decline of managed care network providers, which has left patients with limited access to care.  The goal of telemedicine was to leverage technology to increase the capacity of providers to deliver care and create more access to patients seeking care.

THE WORKER’S COMP INDUSTRY WAS INITIALLY RELUCTANT TO EMBRACE THE CONCEPT OF TELEMEDICINE:  There was trepidation among the industry about utilizing telemedicine because it was a sharp contrast to the standard handling of Worker’s Compensation Claims. There were several questions that had to be addressed, such as what kind of injuries could be reported, would the injured worker be given light duty restrictions, would the injured worker be able to obtain prescriptions if needed, and many other concerns. The other concern was deciding on what type of telemedicine to use, such as a nurse triage program, versus using a physician-based program.

THE MEDCALL DIFFERENCE:  All of MedCall’s doctors are Board Certified, with at least ten years of experience working in an ER. Their philosophy is that by connecting with a physician early, you can control the trajectory of the claim. They perform in-depth consults with injured workers, and can instruct them on what to do for their injury, but also what not to do, which is very important too. Injured workers get a calm voice from an experienced physician who can provide direction in a stressful situation. MedCall doctors are well versed in the rules of Worker’s Compensation and will identify specific work restrictions, document them in writing, and provide them to their employer. MedCall will also report the injury to the insurance carrier immediately, with essential detailed information. This will help prevent the delay of claim reporting. When a claim starts off with late reporting, it can wreak havoc, and change the direction of the claim entirely.

WHAT TYPES OF CLAIMS CAN BE REPORTED TO MEDCALL? Every claim can be initially reported through MedCall. MedCall has helped divert about 81% of injuries that do not need treatment at an ER, which helps prevent the injured worker from long waiting times (the average is 6-8 hours) at the hospital. This also helps prevent long drive times for injured workers that work in very remote areas, and do not have quick access to an ER or Urgent Care facilities.  If the injured worker has a serious injury, the MedCall Physician will stay on the phone with the injured worker while they are waiting for the EMT to arrive, and they will also communicate with the EMT directly. They will instruct the injured worker and any coworkers who are assisting them, on what to do while they wait for the transport. For example, if an injured worker cut their tendon, they will be instructed to keep pouring water on the injury site, which will keep the tendon moist and repairable. If the injured worker wasn’t instructed to do this, they may end up with permanent tendon damage.

HOW CAN EMPLOYERS GET SET UP WITH MEDCALL?  It is very easy!  MedCall is open 24-7-365. If you are an employer, who is interested in obtaining information on how to get started with Medcall, contact Randy Baker at [email protected].
MedCall is a free service for ALL Berkley Industrial Comp policyholders.