While protecting the health of your employees is the number one priority of every business, no business is injury-proof. Accidents can happen even with the proper safety procedures and training in place. Sometimes workplace injuries require a trip to the emergency room. However, in non-emergency situations, a nurse triage program is a valuable resource to help achieve the best possible outcome for everyone involved.

Responding to a Workplace Injury

First thing’s first: If a work injury occurs, make sure that immediate medical needs are addressed. If the injury is an emergency, someone should certainly call 911 and ensure that necessary care is available right away.

For all non-emergency work injuries, the injured employee should contact their supervisor. Together, call the 24/7 nurse triage hotline for recommendations before treatment is pursued. A registered nurse will assist with the following:

• A “triage” of injuries and symptoms
• Recommendations for self-care, if appropriate, to avoid unnecessary care for the injured worker, and unnecessary expense for the employer
• Recommendations on how and where to get the best possible care at the lowest possible price if treatment is needed for the injuries

Benefits of a 24/7 Nurse Triage Program

• 24/7 nurse triage provides a valuable option to an employer for non-emergent injuries where an injured worker has yet to seek care and is deciding if care is needed or not. This program should not be used if the injured worker has already sought treatment – or if obvious immediate medical care is needed. If the injured worker has already sought, or will seek treatment, those claims should be submitted through the normal workers compensation claims reporting process. This ensures that a claims representative can address the needs of the injured worker and investigate the claim as soon as possible.
• The primary benefit of a 24/7 nurse triage program is that an injured worker has the opportunity to discuss their issues with a registered nurse regarding possible treatment in a timely manner. The nurse’s only concern is the needs of the injured worker. The triage nurse does not make any compensation determinations. The nurse triage program should not be used if the injured worker is not available to talk during the phone call.
• Utilizing a 24/7 nurse triage program may help reduce workers compensation claims costs and the number of claims incidents, while providing a streamlined process and peace of mind.
• There is no cost for Society Insurance policyholders to use this program.

Society Insurance 24/7 Nurse Triage Process

Society’s 24/7 nurse triage program provides Society Insurance policyholders with direct access to registered nurses 24 hours a day, seven days a week to assess and manage work-related injuries. Here’s how it works:

1. Together, the employer and injured worker call the Society 24/7 nurse triage hotline at 877-501-3050.
2. The triage nurse answers the call and gathers information about the injury.
3. The triage nurse documents the first report of injury (FROI), including claim facts.
4. Instructions for care are verbally provided to the injured worker, and also sent via email to Society and the employer.
5. The FROI is immediately sent to all designated parties. Recipients can be customized to meet the employer’s needs.
6. Society Insurance begins their investigation of the claim.
7. Within 24 to 48 hours, the triage nurse completes a follow-up call to the injured worker to assess status, satisfaction, and provide additional education, if needed.
8. The triage nurse documents the activities from the follow-up call and notifies Society regarding this information.

24/7 Nurse Triage Webinar from Society Insurance

Workers Compensation Resources

Society’s workers compensation is there for you when incidents occur, sticking by your side from reporting to closure. Click here to learn more about Society’s workers compensation insurance coverage. Then, browse these other helpful workers compensation articles:

• Six Tips to Improve your Workers Compensation Experience
• Insurance Cost: Calculating Workers Compensation Premium
• Case Study: Workers Compensation & Subrogation – Recovering Money and Lowering Insurance Premiums