Compensation Cases Research Articles

Essential Case Management Practices Amidst the Novel Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Crisis: Part 2: End-of-Life Care, Workers' Compensation Case Management, Legal and Ethical Obligations, Remote Practice, and Resilience.

Objectives:This is the second of a 2-part article that discusses essential case management practices and strategies amidst the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The series showcases the potential professional case managers have in support of managing during a crisis such as a global pandemic. Part II continues to describe reenvisioned roles and responsibilities of case managers and their leaders to meet the needs of patients/support systems during the crisis. It focuses on the increased need for end-of-life care, impact on workers' compensation case management practice, and the self-care needs of the professional case manager.Primary Practice Settings:Applicable to the various case management practice settings across the continuum of health and human services, with special focus on acute care.Findings/ConclusionsThe COVID-19 global pandemic has resulted in a crisis case managers and other health care professionals never faced something like it before. At the same time, it has provided opportunities for innovation and creativity including use of digital and telecommunication technology in new ways to ensure the continued delivery of health and human services to those who need them regardless of location. It has also resulted in the development of necessary and impactful partnerships within and across different health care organizations and diverse professional disciplines. Most importantly, this pandemic has required special attention to the increased need of patients for timely palliative and end-of-life care. In addition, it has prompted a focus on the safety, health, and well-being of case managers and other health care professionals, resulting in expanded workers' compensation case management practice coupled with the need for self-care and resilience.Implications for Case Management Practice:Professional case managers are integral members of interprofessional health care teams. Their roles and responsibilities are even more necessary during the uncertainty of a global pandemic such as COVID-19. So far, the experience of this crisis has resulted in a deliberate need to ensure the safety of both, those who are the recipients of health care services and those who are responsible for the provision of care. Self-care and resilience of health care professionals and case managers, especially due to the complex dynamics of the COVID-19 pandemic, have advanced a desirable and necessary view of remote/virtual practice and as a strategy for enhancing the person's health and well-being. This pandemic has forced the development of impactful partnerships and collaborations among the diverse contexts of health care organizations and support service providers. These contexts of care delivery have also emphasized the necessary legal and ethical practice of case managers and the other involved parties. Experts agree that the innovative care delivery methods practiced during the pandemic will undoubtedly remain as desirable beyond the current crisis period.

Using New Methods of Communication to Improve Outcomes in Workers' Compensation Case Management.

Using New Methods of Communication to Improve Outcomes in Workers' Compensation Case Management.

Cost, profile, and postoperative resource use for surgically managed acute hand and wrist injuries with emergency department presentation

Study DesignRetrospective cost-of-illness study. IntroductionInjuries to the hand and wrist are common. Most uncomplicated and stable upper extremity injuries recover with conservative management; however, some require surgical intervention. The economic burden on the health care system from such injuries can be considerable. Purpose of the StudyTo estimate the economic implications of surgically managed acute hand and wrist injuries at one urban health care network. MethodsUsing 33 primary diagnosis ICD-10 codes involving the hand and wrist, 453 consecutive patients from 2014 to 2015 electronic billing records who attended the study setting emergency department and received consequent surgical intervention and outpatient follow-up were identified. Electronic medical records were reviewed to extract demographic data. Costs were calculated from resource use in the emergency department, inpatient, and outpatient settings. Results are presented by demographics, injury type, mechanism of injury, and patient pathway. ResultsTwo hundred and twenty-six individuals (n 1⁄4 264 surgeries) were included. The total cost of all injuries was $1,204,606. The median cost per injury for non-compensable cases (n = 191) was $4508 [IQR $3993-$6172] and $5057 [IQR $3957-$6730] for compensable cases (n = 35). The median number of postoperative appointments with a surgeon was 2.00 (IQR 1.00-3.00) for both compensable and non-compensable cases. The number of hand therapy appointments for non-compensable cases and compensable cases was 4 [IQR 2-6] and 2 [IQR 1-3], respectively. DiscussionFindings of this investigation highlight opportunities for health promotion strategies for reducing avoidable injuries and present considerations for reducing cost burden by addressing high fail to attend (FTA) appointment rates. ConclusionSurgically managed hand and wrist injuries contribute to a significant financial burden on the health care system. Further research using stringent data collection methods are required to establish epidemiological data and national estimates of cost burden.

Embedding quasi-static time series within a genetic algorithm for stochastic optimization: the case of reactive power compensation on distribution systems

Abstract This paper presents a methodology for the optimal placement and sizing of reactive power compensation devices in a distribution system (DS) with distributed generation. Quasi-static time series is embedded in an optimization method based on a genetic algorithm to adequately represent the uncertainty introduced by solar photovoltaic generation and electricity demand and its effect on DS operation. From the analysis of a typical DS, the reactive power compensation rating power results in an increment of 24.9% when compared to the classical genetic algorithm model. However, the incorporation of quasi-static time series analysis entails an increase of 26.8% on the computational time required.

Genetic compensation in a stable slc25a46 mutant zebrafish: A case for using F0 CRISPR mutagenesis to study phenotypes caused by inherited disease.

A phenomenon of genetic compensation is commonly observed when an organism with a disease-bearing mutation shows incomplete penetrance of the disease phenotype. Such incomplete phenotypic penetrance, or genetic compensation, is more commonly found in stable knockout models, rather than transient knockdown models. As such, these incidents present a challenge for the disease modeling field, although a deeper understanding of genetic compensation may also hold the key for novel therapeutic interventions. In our study we created a knockout model of slc25a46 gene, which is a recently discovered important player in mitochondrial dynamics, and deleterious mutations in which are known to cause peripheral neuropathy, optic atrophy and cerebellar ataxia. We report a case of genetic compensation in a stable slc25a46 homozygous zebrafish mutant (hereafter referred as “mutant”), in contrast to a penetrant disease phenotype in the first generation (F0) slc25a46 mosaic mutant (hereafter referred as “crispant”), generated with CRISPR/Cas-9 technology. We show that the crispant phenotype is specific and rescuable. By performing mRNA sequencing, we define significant changes in slc25a46 mutant’s gene expression profile, which are largely absent in crispants. We find that among the most significantly altered mRNAs, anxa6 gene stands out as a functionally relevant player in mitochondrial dynamics. We also find that our genetic compensation case does not arise from mechanisms driven by mutant mRNA decay. Our study contributes to the growing evidence of the genetic compensation phenomenon and presents novel insights about Slc25a46 function. Furthermore, our study provides the evidence for the efficiency of F0 CRISPR screens for disease candidate genes, which may be used to advance the field of functional genetics.

16. ve 18. Asırlarda Osmanlı Fetva Literatüründe Mudârebe Ortaklığı

16. ve 18. Asırlarda Osmanlı Fetva Literatüründe Mudârebe Ortaklığı

How Is Maximum Outcome Improvement Defined in Patients Undergoing Shoulder Arthroscopy for Rotator Cuff Repair? A 1-Year Follow-Up Study

To (1) determine the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES), Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation (SANE), and Constant-Murley subjective score thresholds for achieving maximal outcome improvement (MOI) after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair and (2) identify preoperative predictors of reaching the ASES threshold for achieving MOI. A retrospective cohort study was performed to identify patients undergoing rotator cuff repair at a high-volume institution from January 2014 to January 2017 with a 1-year minimum follow-up. Patient characteristics, as well as preoperative and postoperative outcome scores, were analyzed. MOI for the ASES and SANE score were calculated as previously described, and a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to determine thresholds for percentage of maximal improvements for each outcome measure based on a satisfaction anchor question. Last, a logistic regression model was used to identify predictors of reaching the ASES threshold for achieving MOI. A total of 220 patients were included in the final analysis. There was a statistically significant increase in score average across all 3outcome measures (P < .001 for all), with 162 (73.6%) patients rating their surgical outcome as satisfactory at 1-year follow-up. The ROC curve analysis demonstrated that ASES, SANE, and Constant-Murley threshold percentages for achieving MOI was 69.5% (area under the curve [AUC], 0.86; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.81-0.91; P < .001), 75%(AUC, 0.814; 95% CI, 0.758-0.871; P < .001), and 55.1% (AUC, 0.84; 95% CI, 0.783-0.898; P < .001), respectively. Logistic regression demonstrated that workers compensation cases (odds ratio, 0.69; 95% CI, 0.55-0.86; P= .001) and dominant-sided surgery (odds ratio, 0.72; 95% CI, 0.59-0.88; P= .002) were predictors of not achieving maximal improvement on the ASES score. Achieving 69.5% of maximal ASES score improvement or 75% of maximal SANE score improvement is indicative of achieving patient satisfaction after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair. Preoperative variables including workers compensation cases and surgery to the dominant side were predictors of not achieving maximal improvement. IV, case series.

Patient satisfaction and perception of success after total knee arthroplasty are more strongly associated with patient factors and complications than surgical or anaesthetic factors.

A proportion of TKA recipients following TKA are dissatisfied with their outcome. Our hypothesis is that patient satisfaction with TKA and perception of success of surgery are associated with patient comorbidities and overall health status, surgical and anaesthetic techniques as well as processes of post-operative care after TKA. The aims were to (i) measure the incidence of patient unfavourable outcomes-defined as dissatisfaction with the surgery or lack of joint-specific global improvement-1year after TKA, and to explore the differences between these two outcomes of interest; (ii) assess the relationship between the development of these unfavourable outcomes and patient-reported knee function and overall quality of life; (iii) explore the associations between pre- and peri-operative variables and the development of these unfavourable outcomes 1year after TKA. This study includes analysis of data from a prospective cohort of 1017 TKA recipients. Pre-operative patient variables, surgical and acute-care data were collected. The Oxford knee score and the global perception of improvement were used to assess satisfaction and success 365days post-surgery. From 1017 patients (56% female), mean age 68years and BMI 32, 68pts (7%) were dissatisfied with the outcome of surgery, 141pts (14%) believed surgery was unsuccessful 1year after TKA. A negative outcome was noted in 151 (15%) patients for either satisfaction or success, and 58 (6%) of patients reported neither good satisfaction nor success after surgery. Dissatisfied patients reported worse mean OKS (26.4 [SD 8.03] vs 42.3 [SD 5.21], p < 0.001) and mean EQ VAS (64.9 [SD 19.49] vs 81.8 [SD 14.38], p < 0.001) than satisfied patients. Patients who reported unsuccessful surgery also showed significantly lower mean OKS (30.9 [SD 9.29] vs 42.9 [SD 4.39], p < 0.001) and mean EQ VAS (68.2 [SD 18.61] vs 82.7 [SD 13.77], p < 0.001). Univariate analysis of predictors of unfavourable outcome post-TKA showed that financial status, obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), ASA class > 2 and not resurfacing the patella were factors associated with the development of dissatisfaction with TKA and with patient perceived unsuccessful results of TKA. Multivariable logistic regression of patient satisfaction and success of TKA showed that compensation cases (OR 26.91, p < 0.001 for dissatisfaction and OR 11.49, p = 0.001 for unsuccessful TKA), obstructive sleep apnoea (OR 2.18, p = 0.04 for dissatisfaction and OR 1.82, p = 0.04 for unsuccessful TKA), ASA grade > 2 (OR 1.83, p = 0.04 for dissatisfaction and OR 1.57, p = 0.03 for unsuccessful TKA)and the development of a complication after TKA (OR 3.4, p < 0.001 for dissatisfaction and OR 2.39, p < 0.001 for unsuccessful TKA) were associated with the development of a negative outcome in both groups. Patella preservation (OR 1.96, p = 0.03) was associated with dissatisfaction, whereas the use of cruciate retaining femoral prosthesis was associated with less successful results of TKA (OR 1.78, p = 0.009). An unfavourable outcome occurs in approximately 7-15% of patients following TKA. The incidence varies with how an unfavourable result is defined and many factors are associated with this outcome though prosthetic design or patella resurfacing do not appear to be important.

Introduction

Introduction MELVIN I. UROFSKY One of the few benefits of Covid-19 is that I seem to have a lot more time to read not only serious works, such as John Barry’s The Great Influenza, the story of an earlier pandemic a century ago, but also lighter material, such as Ben Aaronovich’s series The Rivers of London about Thomas Nightingale and Peter Grant, two members of Scotland Yard who are magicians (real ones). Even people who are working at home tell me they have more time, if nothing else than in the hours they would be dressing for work, putting on makeup, or commuting. So I hope you all enjoy this issue. It does not have magicians, but it does have a little lightheartedness that we can all use these days. Mark Killenbeck, Davis Distinguished Professor of Law at the University of Arkansas and an old friend, writes about two justices and their dissents, William Johnson in Fletcher v. Peck (1810) and Louis Brandeis ’s concurrence in Whitney v. California (1927). Needless to say, I am much interested in dissent and also in the Brandeis opinion, which Professor Mark Tushnet of Harvard has called the greatest dissent ever written, even if it is a concurrence. What Killenbeck does is to dig deeply into both opinions, and much as I have studied Whitney, it gave me great pleasure to see it from a different angle and learn more about it. I must confess, I probably would have accepted Todd Pepper’s article for the title alone, “Chief Justice Melville Weston Fuller and the Great Mustache Debate of 1888.” Pepper, Fowler Professor of Public Affairs at Roanoke College, adjunct professor at Washington & Lee Law School, and a pre­ vious contributor to the Journal, gives us a great story that is almost impossible to take seriously in this time of plague. Oh to be young and innocent in 1888! There have, fortunately, been no disabled justices in recent years, but at other times in our history men who sat not only on the high court but in the district and circuit tribunals could not, by cause of physical or mental infirmity, fulfill their responsibility. Some, like Holmes and Brandeis, stepped down voluntarily. But others had to be “pushed,” often for political reasons. The Constitution ignores this problem, and the only valid means of removing a judge is impeachment. Judge Glock, a Senior Policy Advisor at the Cicero Institute, looks at this issue and how political pressure from the legislative branch, as well as gener­ ous retirement packages, opened up judicial seats. 112 JOURNAL OF SUPREME COURT HISTORY Another old friend is Robert Post, Ster­ ling Professor of Law and former dean at the Yale Law School. Bob is working on the Taft Court volumes for the Oliver Wendell Holmes Devise, and has asked me from time to time to read drafts. In one section, he deals with what is one of the landmark decisions of the Taft Court, Myers v. United States (1926). I asked him if he could give me an article for the Journal on the case, which he graciously agreed to do. Taft, a former president, tried to use the case to bolster the authority of the presidency. His opinion evoked dissents from three justices, including one of Brandeis’s most important, and the Myers decision was to be effectively overruled less than a decade later in Humphrey's Executor v. United States (1935). When we think of the Supreme Court and World War 11, the cases that always grab our attention are three in number that deal with the Japanese internments. But there were other cases involving enemy aliens and the courts, and Charles J. Sheehan, a lawyer for the federal government, tells us about one of them, involving a Japanese sailor who was injured and fought to get his case for compensation before the courts, seeking justice. Kumezo Kawato, despite a ruling from the nation’s highest court, did not get justice, and after his release from internment he returned to Japan. Because of the plague, the Society did not hold its annual meeting at the Supreme Court this past June. As a result, there was no...

An Analysis of Medicolegal Reporting in Workman Injuries Referred for Medicolegal Examination in a Tertiary Care Hospital of Sri Lanka.

Introduction:A reasonable number of workman injuries are reported for medicolegal examination every year. In addition to report on the degree of severity and consistency of the injuries with the historical evidence, the medical officers are expected to opine on degree of disability as well. However, routine Medicolegal Examination Form or Report used in Sri Lanka to report these cases does not carry a section for disability or impairment.Objective:To gain an insight into the pathology of workplace injuries and to evaluate the role of medicolegal examination and reporting among the victims presented with injuries at work.Methods:A retrospective descriptive study was carried out on workmen who were referred for medicolegal examination during a period of 5 years in a Tertiary Care Hospital in the Western Province of Sri Lanka.Results:Out of 172 subjects who got injured at work, none had claimed for a report of compensation. 47% (81) of the injured workers were in the age group of 19–30 years. 81% (139) were males. Factory workers were the most vulnerable workers (34%) followed by drivers (15%). A majority 39% (67) of injuries were located on upper limbs. 52% (90) of the victims had grievous injuries. However, a majority 61% (105) had no permanent disability.Conclusions:Disability is not a direct reflection of the category of hurt. Therefore, testifying on routine medicolegal reports on cases of workman compensation will not serve justice to the patient.

Principle of parity of social insurance management funds as a guarantee for the implementation of the insured persons 'rights

Introduction. The relevance of the chosen topic is due to the necessity for scientific research in determining the level of implementation of the principle of parity management of social insurance funds, as well as the next stage of reforming the social insurance system and a departure from the principle of parity management of social insurance funds. The aim of the article is to make some proposals for the sustainable functioning of the principle of parity in the management of social insurance funds, which will contribute to guaranteeing the realization of the rights of the insured in the field of social insurance. Results. The National System of Social Insurance Principles was laid down in the Concept of Social Security for the Population. Among the general principles of social insurance in the Concept was highlighted the principle of autonomy of managing the activity of social insurance funds on the principles of social partnership and self-government under state control. Subsequently, undergoing certain transformations, but not changing the essence, this principle was changed to the principle of parity of management of social insurance funds. The analysis of the current legislation and law enforcement practice shows the implementation in practice of the principle of parity management of social insurance funds, which certainly promotes transparency, efficiency of functioning of the social insurance system and minimizes the cases of non-insurance compensation. At the same time, draft laws on the reform of social insurance in the direction of weakening the rights of social partners (employers and trade unions) in the management of funds do not promote the rights of the insured and nullify the international legal acts ratified by Ukraine. Conclusions. It is proved that the stability of the social insurance system depends on the proper implementation of all principles of social insurance, as well as on the development of the economy, stable political situation, conceptual development of legislation in the field of social insurance with the participation of social partnership parties. It is concluded that the principle of parity of management of social insurance funds ensures mutual responsibility of the parties of social partnership and promotes the effectiveness of the social insurance system.

مساهمة الجمعيات في تجسيد حماية البيئة أمام القضاء الإداري = Associations’ Contribution to the Protection of The Environment in Front of the Administrative Judiciary

حماية البيئة | الجمعيات البيئية | القضاء الإداري | المحاكم الإدارية | مجلس الدولة | دعوى الإلغاء | دعوى التعويض أو القضاء الكامل | الشروط العامة لقبول الدعوى | الشروط الخاصة لقبول الدعوى | التفويض الكتابي | Protection of the Environment | Environmental Associations | Administrative Judiciary | Administrative Courts | State Council | Abolition Case | Compensation or Full Judgment Case | General Conditions for Acceptance of Claim

Practice of compensation for moral damage in labor law of Ukraine and foreign countries

The problems of legislative regulation of compensation for moral damage caused to an employee in terms of labor liability of the employer are studied. It is established that the current labor legislation does not contain a clear and sufficient regulation of this issue, so compensation for moral damage under labor legislation is an urgent problem at this stage of development. Thus, the Labor Code of Ukraine does not contain the very concept of nonpecuniary damage, indications of any criteria that affect the amount of compensation, does not provide sectoral specifics of protection of employee rights, therefore, the law enforcer is forced to address many issues of the Civil Code . All this, in our opinion, creates gaps in labor law. Therefore, it is proposed to develop clear criteria for determining the presence or absence of moral suffering of the employee as a result of violation of his labor rights guaranteed by law. In addition, it is determined that in Ukraine to this day there are a number of obstacles to the formation of uniform judicial practice for resolving labor disputes. One of them, in our opinion, is the lack of clearly defined criteria for determining the amount of non-pecuniary damage. After analyzing the experience of foreign countries on compensation for moral damage to employees in labor law, and the experience of Ukraine on this issue, we propose to introduce into law a specific list of cases that cause non-pecuniary damage in labor law, as well as to establish a minimum amount of moral damage. when the court decision determines its size, which is not proportional to the losses incurred by the injured person. Also, we consider it expedient to create certain subdivisions in the courts that would deal exclusively with labor disputes. A positive application of this practice would be the ability to elect judges from these units from ordinary citizens involved in labor relations, following the example of France. Such a system helps to increase the level of trust of employees and employers in the court and the resolution of labor disputes, including cases of compensation for moral damage.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Coverage and other Expanding Benefit Changes in the Workers’ Compensation Insurance Marketplace: Academic Legal Perspective

This paper discusses the increased use of causation presumptions in workers' compensation cases involving firefighters and other first responders. It also considers increasing workers' compensation coverage of post traumatic stress disorder with respect to those same categories of workers.The paper discusses how workers' compensation coverage of certain conditions tends to parallel the growth of potential tort liability, observes that disease presumptions were a feature of early 20th century workers' compensation statutes (and so are not new), and argues that recognition of workers' compensation mental-mental claims has been consistent with zone of danger expansion of the negligent infliction of emotional distress cause of action.

The Impact of Morphine Equivalent Daily Dose Threshold Guidelines on Prescribed Dose in a Workers' Compensation Population.

Prescription opioid overdose has increased markedly and is of great concern among injured workers receiving workers' compensation insurance. Given the association between high daily dose of prescription opioids and negative health outcomes, state workers' compensation boards have disseminated Morphine Equivalent Daily Dose (MEDD) guidelines to discourage high-dose opioid prescribing. To evaluate the impact of MEDD guidelines among workers' compensation claimants on prescribed opioid dose. Workers' compensation claims data, 2010-2013 from 2 guideline states and 3 control states were utilized. The study design was an interrupted time series with comparison states and average monthly MEDD was the primary outcome. Policy variables were specified to allow for both instantaneous and gradual effects and additional stratified analyses examined evaluated the policies separately for individuals with and without acute pain, cancer, and high-dose baseline use to determine whether policies were being targeted as intended. After adjusting for covariates, state fixed-effects, and time trends, policy implementation was associated with a 9.26 mg decrease in MEDD (95% confidence interval, -13.96 to -4.56). Decreases in MEDD also became more pronounced over time and were larger in groups targeted by the policies. Passage of workers' compensation MEDD guidelines was associated with decreases in prescribed opioid dose among injured workers. Disseminating MEDD guidelines to doctors who treat workers' compensation cases may address an important risk factor for opioid-related mortality, while still allowing for autonomy in practice. Further research is needed to determine whether MEDD policies influence prescribing behavior and patient outcomes in other populations.

Healthcare Complaints Analysis Tool: reliability testing on a sample of Danish patient compensation claims

ObjectiveThe study aim was to test the intra-assessor and interassessor reliability of the Healthcare Complaints Analysis Tool (HCAT) for categorising the information in the claim letters in a sample of...

Analysis of Fire-Related State Compensation Cases

화재발생의 ì§ì ‘ì ì¸ 원인 ì œê³µìžë“¤ì´ ê·¸ 화재로 인한 피해자들에게 손해배상을 í• ëŠ¥ë ¥ì´ 없으면 피해자들은 소방기관에 êµ­ê°€ë°°ìƒì± ìž„ì„ 물어 í”¼í•´êµ¬ì œë¥¼ ë°›ìœ¼ë ¤ëŠ” 경향이 있다. 2가지 국가배상 사례 분석에서 화재로 인한 손해와 소방공무원의 화재예방 또는 소방특별조사 활동과 ê´€ë ¨ëœ 과실 사이에 인과관계가 있으면, 법원은 소방기관에서 피해자에게 손해를 배상하도록 판결함을 알 수 있었다. 2017ë „ 12월 26일 ｢소방기본법｣이 ê°œì •ë˜ì–´ ‘소방활동에 대한 ë©´ì± â€™ 조항이 ë§ˆë ¨ë˜ì—ˆì§€ë§Œ ë©´ì± ì„ ë°›ìœ¼ë ¤ë©´ ê·¸ 활동의 불가피성이 ìž ì¦ë˜ì–´ì•¼ 하는데, 화재예방이나 소방검사활동은 구조․구급활동과 달리 ê·¸ 활동의 불가피성을 ìž ì¦í•˜ê¸°ê°€ 쉽지 않으므로 화재와 ê´€ë ¨ëœ 국가배상 청구 소송은 줄어들지 않을 것으로 예측된다.

Kilka uwag o odpowiedzialności władzy publicznej w Polsce

Responsibility of public authorities is a special guarantee of the legality of a democratic state. The right to compensation is provided not only for the Constitution of the Republic of Poland, but also other legal acts of a statutory rank. Every year courts in Poland adjudicate on compensation cases, awarding them in many cases. The costs of errors of public authority are borne by the State Treasury, and they are not small.

Development and Pilot Assessment of the PACE Tool: Helping Case Managers Identify and Respond to Risk Factors in Workers' Compensation Case Management.

Purpose The aim was to develop a tool to be applied by workers' compensation case managers to guide intervention and avoid delayed return to work. Methods The Plan of Action for a CasE (PACE) tool was developed based on a review of existing literature, focus groups with case managers and analysis of existing claims data. Combined with analysis of existing case manager practice, these sources were used to determine key constructs for inclusion in the tool to be aligned with the demands of case manager workload. Mapping of existing interventions was used to match risk identified by the tool with appropriate intervention. Results The final PACE tool consisted of 41 questions divided into Ready (worker), Set (employer) and Go (treating practitioner) categories. Questions in the tool were linked to appropriate case manager actions. Data collection was completed by case managers for 524 claims within the first 2 weeks of the claim being accepted. The most commonly identified risks for delayed RTW included both worker and employer expectations of RTW, as well as certification of capacity. Factor analysis identified two factors operating across the tool categories. Case managers reported benefits in using the tool, but reported it also increased their workload. Conclusions The PACE tool is a unique example of the implementation of risk identification in case management practice. It demonstrates that case managers are ideally placed to collect information to identify risk of delayed RTW. Future work will establish the impact of case-manager led intervention based on identified risks on outcomes for injured workers.

Integrating Secure Text Communication in Workers' Compensation Case Management: A Quality Improvement Project.

Integrating Secure Text Communication in Workers' Compensation Case Management: A Quality Improvement Project.