Are you losing money because your employees are being unnecessarily written out of work for minor injuries? It happens all too often; Joe receives a seemingly minor injury and his doctor (who he has been a patient of for the past 18 years) writes him out of work for an entire week. Now you are struggling to cover his shift and keep production up. Did you know, as an employer, that YOU can dictate a panel of physicians you’d like your employees to see in the case of a workplace injury?
In Pennsylvania, employers have the legal right to specify a panel of at least six medical professionals that employees can use in the case of a workplace injury. In fact, if the employee chooses not to use one of the six (or more) medical providers for the first 90 days following an on-the-job injury, your workers’ compensation insurance is not required to cover the medical bills they incur.
As you select a panel of providers, at least three must be physicians. It’s a good idea to also have a chiropractor included on the list, as the Bureau of Workers’ Compensation accepts them as medical providers. All medical professionals on the panel need to be geographically accessible from the workplace location(s), and their address and telephone number must be posted, along with the name, address, and telephone number of your workers’ compensation carrier.
Being proactive about forming relationships with your chosen panel will help keep injury claims and medical treatments progressing smoothly to strong recoveries for your employees. The medical personnel should understand your work environment, as well as your commitment to a safe workplace. It’s a great idea to invite your panel members to your site(s) before you have any active claims, so everyone will be familiar with the processes and ready to work closely if and when an active case arises.
For advice in setting up a medical panel, give us a call at 717-652-5187 and we can provide you with a list of providers in your area and connect you with those of your choice.
