This article is authored by guest blogger, Tom Kerr, Director of Communication at Genex Services, a part of Mitchell | Genex | Coventry. As frontline workers, field case managers are essential in helping injured employees navigate their way through the workers’ comp labyrinth to achieve return-to-work goals. And while the COVID pandemic has created new barriers, Genex’s field case managers are constantly using their skills to adapt to changes that come their way. In today’s Inside Workers’ Comp, Tim Howard, Senior Vice President, Field Case Management, explains how the recent availability of COVID vaccines are giving these frontline workers an extra level of safety. Tom Kerr (TK): Tim, roughly, how many Genex field case managers have received at least the first dose of the COVID vaccine? Tim Howard: Nationwide, I’d say about 50 percent of our field case management team has currently received the vaccine, and those numbers are increasing daily as it becomes readily available across the country. TK: Why is it important for these case managers to receive the vaccine as soon as possible? Howard: Genex follows CDC guidance and recommendations. So, we are proactively encouraging our frontline workers—our field case managers—to receive the vaccine in accordance with their state and local policies so they can feel comfortable with in-person interaction. We need our case managers to be able to move freely through health care facilities to engage injured employees, providers and other health care professionals and promote the best possible dialogue/interaction leading to positive case outcomes. TK: What’s being done to ensure Genex field case managers have access to the vaccine? Howard: Since the vaccine is administered on a state and local basis, our regional branch managers keep up with the various qualifications and processes for workers’ comp case managers to receive the vaccine in the area they cover. We alert our staff on these guidelines and vaccination schedules so they can receive the vaccine as soon as possible after it is offered. TK: What challenges have you faced in meeting this goal? Howard: As I mentioned before, vaccine deployment and qualifications vary by state and locality, so understanding the inconsistencies for distribution and making sure we have plans in place to achieve our goals can be a challenge, but we’re addressing and meeting it. TK: How does vaccinating field case managers impact workers’ comp claims? Howard: Our field case managers who have received the vaccine report an increased sense of freedom and confidence in meeting with injured employees and other parties to the case. It just increases their comfort level which will lead to more positive case outcomes. TK: What other safety measures are your case managers using to protect themselves and injured workers from COVID? Howard: Genex continues to supply and enforce the use of personal protection equipment, social distancing and other protective measures when dealing with any sort of in-person field intervention. The Genex Clinical Guidelines Team also continues to update and publish our Coronavirus Guideline, ensuring our case managers have access to the latest information on the virus so they can best protect themselves and those they come in contact with to maintain the health of the injured employees in their care.
More stories
Mitchell
Article
Most Common Characteristics of High-Performing Third Party Claim Workflows
August 10, 2021
While every carrier’s exact workflow and claim processing techniques are distinct, most claim professionals across the third party liability indust
Mitchell
Article
5 Steps to Prepare for a Successful Post-COVID Future
August 9, 2021
In the span of just about a year and a half, the auto casualty and workers’ comp insurance industry has seen more transformation than perhaps in th
Mitchell
Article
Workers’ Comp Data: Restaurant and Hospitality, Educational Services Industries Still Experiencing Low Volume of Workers’ Comp Claims
August 9, 2021
Data analysis by Aarthi Thiruvengadam. As the COVID-19 pandemic goes on, the workers’ compensation industry is still continuing to manage
Mitchell
Article
Addressing Physician Dispensed Medications with Price Opportunist Drug Strategies
August 9, 2021
Does your pharmacy program have strategies in place to manage physician dispensed medications, such as dermatologicals and other high-cost products
Genex
Blog
The rising retirement rate is changing the U.S. workforce
July 28, 2021
The average number of baby boomers who retire from the U.S.
Watch On-Demand
CE Webinar
Post-Covid Conundrum
On-Demand
Presented by: Tammy Bradly, VP Clinical Product Development