Workers' Compensation Networks Evolve to Meet Changing Needs of Toda...( HOUSTON Sept. 1 /- ...),Health

HOUSTON, Sept. 1 /PRNewswire/ -- Injuries that sideline valuable workers in today's economy add additional stress to already overworked employees, and increase burdens and costs for financially strapped employers. The National Safety Council estimates that employers pay almost $1 billion per WEEK in direct costs and almost four times that amount for indirect costs related to workers' compensation.

The networks of hospitals, physicians, and other providers that employers contract with to care for injured workers can play a key role in controlling workers' compensation costs. To ensure their provider networks are meeting the needs of employees, and returning them to work quickly and safely, employers should examine several factors, including the number, location and type of providers offered by their workers' comp vendors. Rockport Healthcare Group, a national preferred provider organization (PPO) focused exclusively on workers' compensation, has developed the following list of strategies and tips to help employers get the most from their PPO network.

• Demand flexibility - Don't let the PPO network dictate the terms, location and number of specialists or providers in your network. Look for a network that will work to meet your needs and that will adjust the roster of physicians and other providers to meet your specific requirements.
• Ensure accessibility - Even the best network does little good if it is not convenient for employees. Contracting and credentialing local providers ensures that a PPO network can provide the best physicians and other specialists within convenient locations for the injured workers. In general, primary care physicians, orthopedists and physical therapists should be located within a 15-mile radius of the patient, and specialists within 20 to 30 miles. In rural locations, adjustments will need to be ma
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