Injury Management System - Term Paper Example

Report Part One: Injury Management System Name: Institution: Executive Summary An IMS serves the purpose of restoring injured worker’s physical position, enhancing a faster return-to-work process, relieving the injured worker of medical financial burden, relieving the employer of claims expenses, improving productivity, and eliminating new worker training expenses. An effective IMS would require five main elements i.e. Information Management, Communication Management, Records Management, Medical Management, and Return-to-Work Strategy. The regulatory requirements for an IMS include penalties if employers don’t establish an IMS, integration of the IMS with Equal Opportunity and Occupational Safety Systems, and understanding of rights, roles, and responsibilities by both employers and employees. Table of Contents Executive Summary 2 Introduction 4 Purpose of an Injury Management System (IMS) 4 Elements in the IMS and their Justification 6 Regulatory Requirements for the Development of IMS 7 Conclusion 8 Recommendations 8 References 9 Introduction It is critically important that every workplace has a fully functional system that allows injured employees to quickly and effectively receive treatment before returning to work in case they incur injuries. This is an important aspect not only to the workers themselves, but also to the employer and the entire enterprise. Injury Management System (IMS), therefore, refers to the mechanism within which injured workers can get back to work in a timely manner after undergoing treatment and care. In order to avoid claims, which are usually more expensive to the employer, it is prudent to integrate an IMS which will ensure that any injured worker undergoes recovery. According to Ho (2016), this system follows a process that entails four main sub processes i.e. medical treatment, rehabilitation, return-to-work mechanism, and finally cares of the injured worker’s relations. This report, therefore, presents three main aspects of Injury Management System (IMS) for The Supercheap Discount Pet & Hardware Barnhouse Company that employs over 200 staff across several branches. First, the report enumerates the purpose and the likely benefits of this company’s IMS. Secondly, it discusses the elements that are to be included in the company’s IMS for best practice and the justifications for their inclusion. Finally, this report also discusses the regulatory requirements for the development of the IMS. Purpose of an Injury Management System (IMS) As was rightly mentioned in the introduction, IMS has several benefits not just to the injured worker, but also to the employer. The same benefits will apply not just for The Supercheap Discount Pet & Hardware Barnhouse Company, but to every other company that implements IMS. According to Chaturvedi, Safety and Quality Forum., & Quality Council of India. (2007), an IMS aims to achieve two main objectives. First, it sees to it that timely and effective response is given to claims made by workers on compensation. Secondly, they say that an IMS enhances the accessibility of injured workers to medical treatment and attention in a timely manner so they can return to work within the shortest time possible. In other words, an IMS brings convenience and sustainability to both the employer as well as the worker. For best practice, IMS has the main objective of transferring the handling of workplace injuries from outside partners such as insurance companies to the employer themselves (Doherty, 2014). To the injured worker, the IMS comes with varied benefits. First, the injured worker’s physical functionality is restored to the best position after that particular injury. Secondly, as a result of the best physical function restoration after the injury, the IMS reduces chances of experiencing low self-esteem by the injured worker. Thirdly, the faster return-to-work process ensures that the injured worker regains their cohesion with their fellow workmates. Finally, an effective IMS relieves the injured worker the financial burden that comes with individually financing their medical treatment (Doherty, 2014; Ho, 2016). There are also a number of purposes that an IMS serves to the employer and the enterprise at large. To begin with, an IMS has the potential of improving the extrinsic motivation of staff members at work. This is due to the financial and physical relief that this system brings to the injured worker following an injury. Secondly, an IMS ensures that injured workers spend the least amount of time before resuming work. This, in itself, enhances the productivity of that particular employee in the company. If the IMS were absent, such a worker would take much time to gain complete recovery hence interfering with their productivity at work. Thirdly, an effective IMS has the benefit of relieving the company the extra burden of training a new employee in the event injury of one. An IMS also helps the company to lower expenses related to claims by substituting such expenses with the medical expenses only (Doherty, 2014; Chaturvedi, Safety and Quality Forum., & Quality Council of India (2007)). Elements in the IMS and their Justification For the IMS to be effective, certain elements should be taken into account. For this particular IMS, five main elements will be considered i.e. Information Management, Communication Management, Records Management, Medical Management, and Return-to-Work Strategy. Each of these elements is discussed herein and justifications made on why they are important elements in the IMS. To begin with, information management will be necessary for this IMS through which accurate and consistent information will be disseminated. It is necessary in an IMS that both parties i.e. the employer and the worker clearly understand their responsibilities and boundaries as required by the IMS so that no controversies exist. In addition, an effective IMS requires that the information therein is provided in a language understood by both parties (Fisher, 2014). Information management, therefore, is a critical element here. Secondly, communication management will be required. This element is important in ensuring that communication between the two parties is done with very little or no threats. Such communication is necessary especially in ensuring that there is timely, consistent and up-to-date information during injury management. Clarity and honesty in communication is also an important parameter in an IMS. Unless otherwise stated, such communication should be done in plain and simple English language (Pollak, Gulli, Chatelain, Stratford, & American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, 2005). The third element in an IMS is records management. Essentially, there should be an organized mechanism through which files and other forms of documentation in the IMS are adequately managed. Records management, therefore, helps to manage such records as the return-to-work mechanism and the entire injury management process in the IMS (Doherty, 2014). Fourth, medical management will be required in the IMS. This is essential in ensuring the injured worker is allowed timely appointments with the medical personnel in charge so that consultations and treatment are adequately handled. According to Ho (2016), an IMS should also have an elaborate process for monitoring medical treatment, consultations, referral, and specialist care. A return-to-work strategy is also another critical element in an IMS that should not be underestimated. It is justified to have this element in the IMS because of its role in ensuring that the injured worker returns to work within the shortest time possible after receiving medical attention. There are instances when an injury may result in complete incapacitation to the worker or the injured worker may be required to go for regular medical check-ups. A return-to-work mechanism is, therefore, necessary to integrate the worker in the workplace even as they regularly attend medical examinations (Guzik, 2013). Regulatory Requirements for the Development of IMS It is a regulatory requirement that each employer establishes a fully functional Injury Management System (IMS) to take care of their injured workers. Failure to adhere to this regulatory requirement might come with its own share of penalties or course of action from the regulators (Western Australia, 2010). It is also a regulatory requirement for the employer to have different people to manage the IMS for different workplaces in case they have more than one company. According to The Government of Western Australia (2016), WorkCover WA, inspectors may be requested to audit the documented system every once in a while. It is also important to note that an IMS should be integrated with such other systems as those on Equal Opportunity and Occupational Safety and Health Systems (The Government of Western Australia, 2016). Such integration helps to eliminate the possibility of conflicts among related systems in the company. Conclusion In conclusion, therefore, other than the benefits of an Injury Management System to both the business and the injured worker, it is also a regulatory requirement across all states for all employers to have an effective IMS. Legislation requires that violation to this requirement attracts certain form of penalty on the employer’s part. Additionally, the elements factored in the IMS should be relevant in elaborating the purpose and objective of that particular IMS. Recommendations The following recommendations, therefore, are worth taking into account by both the employers and their employees: 1. Employers should ensure they implement an effective IMS at their work sites in order to avoid friction with the regulatory agencies of their respective states 2. The IMS should factor in most, if not all, elements so that it ensures comprehensiveness and completeness 3. Both employers and workers should know and understand their rights, roles, and responsibilities with regards to an Injury Management System. References Chaturvedi, P., Safety and Quality Forum., & Quality Council of India. (2007).Occupational safety, health & environment and sustainable economic development: Proceedings of the Safety Convention - 2006. New Delhi, India: Concept Publishing. Doherty, S-A. (2014). HST3503 Workplace Compensation and Injury Management: Introduction to Injury Management. Edith Cowan University. Fisher, J. H. (2014). The Power of a System: How to Build the Injury Law Practice of Your Dreams. Advantage Media Group. Guzik, A. (2013). Essentials for occupational health nursing. Chichester, West Sussex: John Wiley & Sons. Ho, G. (2016). HST3503 Workplace Compensation and Injury Management: Introduction to Injury Management. Edith Cowan University. Pollak, A. N., Gulli, B., Chatelain, L., Stratford, C., & American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. (2005). Emergency care and transportation of the sick and injured. Sudbury, Mass: Jones and Bartlett. The Government of Western Australia (2016). WorkCoverWA. http://www.workcover.wa.gov.au/ Western Australia, (2010). Injury Management Handbook, Western Australia. QM2865- 1210. Read More