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An NSW insurance and care provider is set to launch a new initiative to aid recovery and assist injured workers' return to work.
icare will pilot RecoveryPlus in Sydney this month, to provide workers with hand, knee, and shoulder injuries a new style of coordinated care through the introduction of a local clinical care coordinator.
The care coordinator will manage the delivery of a participant's treatment plan and coordinate the worker’s support before, during, and after a medical intervention, to improve approval times and help them get the care they need more quickly.
“Removing delays and giving injured workers peace of mind by approving holistic treatment plans, rather than approving each individual intervention separately, will assist their recovery and enhance their opportunities to return to work,” icare CEO John Nagle said. “This is a streamlined approach removing red tape from the workers' compensation claims process, which benefits the worker and their employer.”
Under the initiative, treatment plans will be developed in collaboration with the patient and their specialist and may include medical procedures, nursing care, allied health services, and other support services to assist their recovery.
Chris Colquhoun, icare’s chief medical officer, said the care coordinator would also create efficiencies for service providers, allowing them to plan appointments “knowing that approval has been received.”
“This is a new initiative aimed at getting workers the treatment they need faster, improving long-term injury outcomes, and lowering the risk of secondary associated injuries,” Colquhoun said.
After the six-month pilot, the new approach will be assessed to find out whether it has helped participating workers achieve their return-to-health and return-to-work goals.
“We hope to have initial results at the end of the year,” Colquhoun said. “This will inform future plans to expand the program in terms of both eligible injury types and hospital locations.”
