Cost Containment
Our professionals assist employers, physicians, case managers and insurance companies to minimize the cost of work-related injuries, including:
- Reduction in worker's compensation insurance claims
- Close communication with medical care team members
- Compliance with OSHA and ADA regulations
- Reduction in lost work time
- Improved employer and employee productivity
- Enhanced health and morale in the work place
- Improved employee retention
Injury Prevention in the Work Place
As health care costs and business expenses continue to rise, SPECTRUM Therapy's Workplace Health Division is meeting the needs of businesses by bringing our services into the workplace to help companies of all sizes cut health care and Workers' Compensation costs.
Injury prevention programs view the worker as an "industrial athlete" who needs to get back into the game as soon as possible. Relationships between the injured employees ("athletes"), the employer/supervisors ("coaches") and health professionals (the "medical team") are important in reducing costs associated with injuries and are paramount to the success of the company (the "team"). Prevention, injury management, and early return to work is a WIN/WIN solution!
Injury Prevention Education
Employers and employees are educated to minimize the risk for workplace injuries. Workplace safety and injury prevention, along with safe body mechanics are the key elements of the program. An assessment of the work area allows presentations to be specific for each department. Special attention is given to areas with high injury rates. Employers and employees actively participate in the educational sessions, maximizing what they learn.
Early and Safe Return to Work
Early return to work starts with early intervention for acute and chronic injuries. The use of modified work duty recommendations allows employees to continue working while receiving physical therapy. Return to work rehabilitation includes specific home/work exercise programs, job task simulation, body mechanics education, and a goal-oriented timeline. This philosophy facilitates keeping injured workers in the workplace, with a safe return to work as quickly as possible.
Therapy Services
SPECTRUM Therapy utilizes licensed physical therapists, occupational therapists and certified athletic trainers to provide personalized care for injured workers while keeping employers' needs in mind. As physical therapists and athletic trainers, these health professionals are uniquely qualified to assess human movement and function, the key components of this program.
While communicating closely with physicians and employers, injured workers are evaluated and treated by a licensed physical therapist (PT). State-of- the-art techniques are utilized by an experienced staff while keeping physicians and employers informed of employees' progress toward functional goals. Occupational therapy and on-site therapy services are available upon request to further minimize "time lost" from work.
Modified Work Duty Recommendations
Our staff assists employers in developing ideas for job task modifications for injured workers, keeping employees at work and involved in the workplace. Employers learn how the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) affects how they should handle injured employees.
Job Site Analysis / Ergonomics
Making the work area ergonomically efficient can prevent cumulative trauma injuries. Suggestions for improvement are made through evaluating worker's positions. Assessing the work environment allows for better ergonomic design as well as compliance with Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations. Benefits to the employer include improved productivity as a result of enhanced efficiency, and the reduction in the severity and frequency of cumulative trauma and acute injuries.
Case Management and Communication
Communication with physicians, case managers, rehabilitation nurses, behavioral psychologists and vocational counselors are utilized to facilitate optimal recovery for injured workers. Careful follow up helps steer employees to the highest quality health professionals for coordination of a smooth recovery. Obtaining referrals for the most appropriate caregivers and review of progress with the employer is important in maintaining cost efficiency.
Functional Capacity Evaluation (FCE)
The FCE utilizes standardized and functional movements to assess an individual's ability to safely return to work. Our physical therapists report information from these tests clearly, concisely, and promptly to the referring physicians and employers. Such reports objectively describe activities which employees can or cannot safely perform. FCE's can also assist physicians in determining long term disability ratings.
Functional Job Descriptions
Essential job functions are measured for specific data such as force, time, distance, and repetitions. This information is then included in a written job description, complete with potential job modifications for injured employees. We can assist employers in updating existing functional job descriptions to comply with ADA guidelines, and help match the right worker with the right job.