Broadspire, a Crawford Company (NYSE: CRDA; CRDB) and leading third party administrator of workers compensation claims, liability claims and medical management services, and Medcor, a leading injury triage provider, are partnering to implement services to more effectively direct immediate post-injury treatment for employees.
"We looked at a number of different models and, with our extensive medical management experience, also considered developing our own injury triage program," said Danielle Lisenbey, chief operating officer for medical services for Broadspire. "After considering the options, we chose Medcor because of the experience, quality of triage services and connectivity to our systems the company offers."
Especially attractive to Broadspire is the use of a neutral outside vendor for triage services, Annette Sanchez, Broadspire's chief marketing officer, emphasized. "Medcor has no financial interest in whether a case becomes a claim, and we will not collect a surcharge for their services," she said. "We know that by partnering with Medcor, we may receive fewer claims to manage. But we feel obligated to assist our clients with both the frequency and severity of their claims, and Medcor provides services that can impact medical costs and at the same time help employees get the care they need."
Together, both companies' technology and processes mesh to respond to workplace accidents and share critical claim information between triage, claim and RMIS systems. Immediately after injuries occur, Medcor's specially trained triage nurses talk directly with injured employees and their managers to assess the injuries and make recommendations. Employees with minor injuries that do not require off-site care receive first aid instructions to allow them to return to work. When off-site care or evaluation is needed, injured employees are referred to in-network medical providers. This process allows for a quick response to injuries, transfers the responsibility for triage decisions from the employer to Medcor, and helps avoid unnecessary claims costs.
After the initial triage, Broadspire would then manage the claim: determining compensability, creating a Strategic Plan of Action, setting reserves and assigning further medical management resources. Medcor data is sent directly into Broadspire's systems. Both Medcor and Broadspire can load employee data and work together to ensure accuracy.
In addition to 26 years of providing clinical interventions for more than three million people, Medcor is the only triage provider that has received health call center accreditation from URAC, an independent, nonprofit organization that promotes health care quality through its accreditation and certification programs. Broadspire holds URAC accreditations in case management, independent review organization, health and workers compensation and utilization management.
"I'm excited to offer our clients a way of immediately addressing minor injuries at any worksite," Lisenbey said. "Medcor's proprietary injury triage process has constantly led the industry since they introduced this service. Their experienced staff, innovative systems and national scope matches our own abilities. It's a great partnership."
"We have always been committed to helping employers reduce costs and improve outcomes for employees," explains Medcor President and CEO Philip Seeger. "We are thrilled to have a partner who shares that commitment and our dedication to providing services to employers with full transparency and without conflicts of interest in the triage and referral process."