By: Laura Noble, Jennifer Cogbill
Today’s workers’ compensation claims landscape is becoming increasingly complex, with rising medical costs, evolving regulatory requirements, and a growing focus on mental health alongside physical injuries. We sat down with Laura Noble, SVP — Risk Management Sales, and Jennifer Cogbill, SVP — GBCARE Client Services, to discuss how Gallagher Bassett’s data-driven and people-focused approach ensures businesses stay ahead of the trends, empowering them to successfully navigate the operational challenges in the sector while embracing a holistic approach to employee well-being. From early intervention to leveraging technology, find out how our workers' compensation and GBCARE teams deliver superior outcomes for our partners.
Laura Noble (LN): Gallagher Bassett’s approach to workers’ compensation is centered around enhancing the claimant’s experience and delivering superior outcomes for both injured workers and employers.
Our commitment goes beyond the basics of claim handling; we strive to uncover innovative ways to elevate the experience of injured workers by offering empathy and compassion throughout the process.
For injured workers, this means receiving personalized care and support that addresses their unique needs and concerns. By fostering a supportive environment, we help facilitate a smoother and more efficient return to work, which is crucial for workers’ overall well-being.
For employers, our approach translates into more effective risk management and reduced total cost of risk. By focusing on the claimant’s experience, we help minimize disruptions and enhance productivity, ultimately leading to better financial outcomes. Our strategic approach ensures that employers can maintain a healthy and motivated workforce aligned with their organizational goals.
Jennifer Cogbill (JC): First and foremost, GBCARE is focused on identifying the best providers to treat our injured workers, with a focus on recovery and return to work.
When we tap into high-performing providers, it reduces the risks of complications during recovery. With our provider guidance tools, we can quickly identify the best providers for referral, from the time of injury to when a specialist referral is needed.
Our Concierge Nurse is assigned to high-risk claims, providing early advocacy and direction of care, and allows us to identify injured workers’ holistic needs to promote recovery.
Across the life cycle of the claim, our Waypoint decision-support tools identify risks as the claim develops, related to treatment quality, disability duration, and medical complications requiring review.
Our highly trained staff combined with these tools customize an engagement plan to meet the needs of each injured worker.
LN: The most critical point in the claims process is the period of the first ten days following an injury. This initial period is pivotal in setting the tone for the entire workers’ compensation journey and significantly influences the final resolution. During these crucial days, we focus on guiding the injured worker through the complexities of the workers’ compensation and medical processes with a strong emphasis on comfort, kindness, and clarity.
By focusing on these initial ten days, we can significantly influence the trajectory of the claim, leading to better health outcomes for the injured worker and more efficient claims resolution for the employer. This proactive and compassionate approach underscores our commitment to excellence in claims management and our dedication to the well-being of all parties involved.
JC: I agree; focusing on early intervention is critical. GBCARE supports early intervention through PC365, point-of-injury triage, and Clinical Concierge. By combining these tools, we are able to accurately identify the treatment needs of the injured worker at the time of the accident. For those requiring medical care, we customize the clinical engagement plan to meet the needs of the individual. Accurate insight upfront allows us to optimize the support and advocacy for the injured worker, reducing the overall claim cost.
JC: We leverage data, decision-support tools, and AI to quickly identify and execute the needs of a claim. For example, our Waypoint suite of decision-support tools is evolving to promote better insights and care referrals to identify claims that need additional support to achieve optimal outcomes.
Secondly, it is the people who serve the injured worker. Supporting our licensed credentialled Registered Nurses with years of clinical experience, our clinical professionals receive specialized training, industry data, and resources to promote recovery in an ever-evolving medical system.
LN: Data-driven tools empower our teams by focusing on quality metrics and utilizing technology to provide real-time insights.
Our advanced data analytics capabilities enable us to monitor and evaluate key performance indicators throughout the claims process. By analyzing these quality metrics, we can quickly identify trends, potential issues, and areas for improvement. This proactive approach allows us to make informed decisions that enhance the claimant’s experience and optimize the overall claims management process.
For employers, these data-driven tools provide transparency and clarity, allowing them to understand the impact of claims on their business and make strategic decisions to mitigate risks. By aligning our activities with the insights gained from data, we help employers reduce their total cost of risk and maintain a productive workforce.
LN: One significant trend is the adaptation to various communication methods to effectively reach injured employees. We recognize that each individual has unique preferences and needs when it comes to communication. To address this, we use a multichannel approach to ensure that we can connect with injured workers in the most impactful and convenient ways.
To stay ahead of the trends, we strategically invest in technology and training to equip our teams with the tools and knowledge necessary to deliver personalized and empathetic care.
JC: Another critical trend is the holistic treatment of injured workers. We know that mental health issues cannot be ignored when it comes to workers’ compensation claims today. This is just one of the areas where we’re proud to be leading the way and why our GBCARE nurses are focused on advocacy.
A significant percentage of the population has some type of behavioral health challenge, whether it be depression, anxiety, PTSD, or a substance abuse disorder. Although these issues are not normally work-related, if not addressed, they can affect the healing process and our ability to resolve claims. GBCARE empowers our nurses by providing specialized training and Behavioral Health certification.
For injured workers with these risks, assigning a GBCARE nurse with behavioral health certification will promote recovery for the compensable physical injury. The GBCARE Nurse and Resolution Manager work in tandem to resolve all aspects of the injury and disability, which is the key to the successful resolution of these claims.
To find out more about how Gallagher Bassett’s workers’ compensation and GBCARE teams can support your business and your employees, contact our team today.
Find out how GBCARE Lowered Medical Costs by 39%
Find out how we reduced incurred costs by over 20% for lost time claims over a 12-month period
Find out how we reduced medical costs by 19% and lost workdays by 30% on average
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