Pub. 2 2020 Issue 5

Yes, We Still Need You to Call the Nurse MARTA SILAKKA, RN , BSN, CCM, COHN-S NURSE CASE MANAGER NHADA — WCT A s members of the Worker’s Comp Trust, you are aware of our recent change to The Windham Group for managed care. We are excited about this change and a new partnership. The best news of all is the preferred providers we have grown to trust are still in the network, and they will be there to care for our injured workers and to take care of all our occupa- tional health needs. NHADA-WCT prides itself on the relationships we have built with these amazing provid- ers and are glad to know they are still there for our members. Being able to access the same day care with specialists is a priceless benefit, and we are happy that will continue . Change is great when there are no speed bumps to pass over. It’s also a great time to review some of the pro- cesses we have in place that ensure prompt in-network care with the most appropriate specialist. The key to successful management of a work injury is communication. The earlier the communication starts after an injury has occurred, the better, which is why we say, “Yes, you still need to call the nurse.” Here are some reasons why that call is so important: • Always remember, in the case of a life-threatening emer- gency, call 911 first and follow up with us after so we can assist. • Calling in right after an injury occurs starts the communica- tion and the documentation of the injury. Essentially you have the WCT team at work on the claim before you have even filed the claim officially with us. • Calling in starts a dialogue between the employer, the injured worker and us. This call allows us all to gather informa- tion regarding the injury and the best next step. • During this call, the details of the injury are gathered and the most appropriate in-net- work referral can be made. We are able to refer to occu- pational health clinics and specialty services on the same day. Not only is the network an important piece, but the level of specialty is as well. • We can also briefly review with the injured worker how to share our information with the provider and what to do if they get a prescription. This call can assist us in making sure the bills for the D R I V E 8