Occupational Management Services

(1)

Occupational Management Services

(2)

Keeping employees safe and productive at work is important to a company’s success. Typically, Group Benefits disability and absence management solutions address illness and injuries that happen outside of the workplace. Incidents that occur at work are often managed by the employer and their provincial workers compensation board (e.g. WCB, WSIB, CSST). Although workplace safety is a key area of focus, injuries continue to occur. In fact, a recent study indicated that in one year more than half a million Canadian workers sustained an injury while on the job1_{. For employers, understanding and managing}

these incidents – and the resulting claims - can be complex, time-consuming and expensive.

1_{2007 Statistics Canada}

At Manulife, we understand the toll that occupational incidents can have on a workplace – the impact on employees, productivity and the financial costs. With Occupational Management Services, we’re partnering with employers to help them manage workplace injuries and achieve better outcomes.

With our flexible suite of products, Occupational Management Services can help employers address the administrative requirements of workplace incidents; deliver effective case management, accommodation and rehabilitation support; and provide comprehensive analysis, reporting and program management

services to help them meet workers compensation board requirements, improve costs and reduce lost-time incidents.

Occupational Management Services also gives employers the ability to integrate occupational claims with our proven disability and absence case management service model. By leveraging our systems, expert resources, workers compensation and disability experience, we’re able to offer employers the convenience and service of a single-source provider for all types of absences – with integrated processes for both occupational and non-occupational incidents.

Program &

Financial Claims

Management

Ap

pe

als

&

Tri

bun

al

Su

pp

ort

Injury N

otifi

cat

ion

& Ass

essm

en

_t

A

cc

om

m

oda

_tion

Su

pp

ort

_&

W

orkp

_lace

R

et

urn

to

Work

Ma

na

ge

m

en

t

Ca

se

One source, five optional services –

the choice is yours:

Occupational Management Services helps to address a full spectrum of workplace incident requirements with five fee-for-service options. Employers can choose an integrated solution or combine services to best suit their business needs.

(3)

Features Benefits

■ Toll-free, bilingual access (phone, email, fax) for reporting workplace injuries.

■ Forms completion and submission of claims to the provincial or territorial workers compensation board within 3 business days.*

■ Compliance with all provincial and territorial requirements.

■ Reduced administration - with less time and work effort spent on workplace incidents an employer’s internal resources can focus on their own business operations. ■ Timely and efficient Day 1 case management intervention. ■ No missed deadlines, all provincial and territorial

requirements are met.*

*Subject to the terms and conditions outlined in the service agreement.

In Action:

A large national employer relied on its payroll department to complete the reporting requirements for workplace incidents. With different criteria in each province and territory, the responsibility has been difficult for payroll to manage. Injuries were not being reported in a timely manner. A series of late notification letters from the provincial workers compensation board also meant that the company would face a penalty the next time they were late with a filing.

By using our Injury Notification and Assessment service, Manulife’s experienced Case Management Centre managed all aspects of the reporting process – from initial intake of the report on Day 1 of an incident to the actual submission to the local board. When John, a 42-year old warehouse worker, injured his knee, his manager contacted Manulife to report the incident. Our Case Management Centre completed the necessary forms and ensured the injury was reported to the workers

compensation board on time and in accordance with provincial requirements. In turn, costly penalties related to late filing were avoided and the payroll area could continue to focus on their business.

Program & Financial Claims Management Appe als & Tribun al Supp

ort Injury Notifi cat_ion & Ass_essm

en_t A cc_om m oda_tion Su pp ort_& W orkp_lace R et urn to Work Mana gem ent Case

Injury Notification & Assessment

(Per case fee)

Leverage our proven intake process to manage incident reporting and the filing of workplace claims.

(4)

■ In-house team of skilled workers compensation case management specialists.

■ Assessment of case requirements, support and services aligned to fit each incident and how it happened (mechanism of the injury).

■ On-going case management support from notification of an incident to resolution.

■ Early intervention and practical, goal-oriented solutions promote an early and safe return to work.

■ Timely and effective communications between employers, employees and the workers compensation board. ■ Reduced claims durations with early identification of

workplace accommodation needs and detailed return-to-work plans.

In Action

John, a warehouse associate with a large national employer, injured his knee while unloading merchandise. John’s manager came to his assistance and then sent him home with the suggestion that he see a doctor. He advised John that someone from Manulife’s Case Management Centre would contact him later that day. The Case Manager contacted John directly and worked with him to ensure his situation was assessed appropriately and that he received the support he needed to make a safe and timely return to work.

With early intervention following the incident and a practical return-to-work plan, John was soon able to get back to his normal routine in the warehouse with minimal disruption and fewer days lost due to the accident.

Case Management

(Per case fee)

Manage workplace incidents with our proven early intervention and on-going case management process.

(5)

■ In-house national team of work facilitation specialists. ■ Workplace accommodation plans tailored to address

the specific needs of each employee and incident. ■ Work facilitation support, on-site meetings and plans to

help address workplace barriers.

■ Physical demands analysis (PDA) and ergonomic assessment services are also available.

■ Employers and employees receive Manulife’s experience, guidance, and support for developing clear, realistic and fair return-to-work plans.

■ Promotes a successful return to work since job duties have been evaluated to reduce the chance of re-injury. ■ Helps reduce lost time.

In Action:

While off work, John suffered some complications with his knee injury. Since standing for long periods was difficult, Manulife’s Work Facilitation Specialists worked with John and his manager to assess the situation and develop a plan of action that would accommodate his needs for a period of time while he recovered. John returned to work with modified duties until he could gradually resume full-time work in the warehouse. As part of the accommodation process, our specialists also did an ergonomic assessment of John’s workplace to help reduce the risk of future injuries.

Return to Work (RTW) Support and

Workplace Accommodation

(Hourly rate)

Provide facilitation and other specialized services to support the successful transition back to work.

(6)

■ Case management support and documentation for first level appeals.

■ Provides timely and efficient summary of case management details that employers can use to help prepare for appeals and hearings.

■ Documentation provided may be submitted as supporting evidence.

In Action:

From time to time, employers may need assistance with appeals related to workers compensation board claims decisions. With this service, Manulife and our network of specialized medical and workers compensation consultants will review a case to determine the criteria used in the Board’s decision-making process and coordinate the first-level appeal. We will also provide case management details and documentation that can be used as supporting evidence for appeals and tribunal hearings. Program & Financial Claims Management Appe als & Tribun al Supp

Appeals and Tribunal Support

(Hourly rate)

Provides case management support for provincial or territorial workers compensation board appeals and hearings.

(7)

■ Review and analysis of current practices (response, process, results) with recommendations to improve experience, including incident prevention.

■ Assessment of past claims and trend analysis.

■ Detailed reporting of workplace claims including assessment of existing medical or case management processes and return-to-work outcomes.

■ Assistance in preparation for workers compensation board financial audits and complying with Board reporting requirements.

■ Helps employers understand current practices and make changes to improve processes, productivity and financial outcomes.

– Provides strategic recommendations to help deliver better outcomes, such as: improving claims outcomes and experience ratings; and

– reducing incidents, lost-time and premium expenses. ■ Helps identify and set goals for future cost savings/

reductions by providing an historical review of workers compensation board experience and trends.

■ Helps employers strive to achieve best practices in disability management.

In Action:

With increasing cost pressures, employers are very aware of the impact that rising workers compensation board premiums and penalties can have on their bottom line. With this service, our Disability Management Consultants specializing in workers compensation will work closely with an employer to understand their current practices for handling occupational incidents. We’ll conduct an in-depth analysis of the organization’s process, incident, claims and key financial metrics and provide a detailed experience report – including historical data and trend analysis. These insights will serve as the basis for strategic recommendations to help improve processes, contain costs and reduce the occurrence of workplace incidents. Through this process, we will also ensure that applications have been made to all eligible cost-savings programs and advise employers about any changes in the

Program and Financial Claims Management

(Hourly rate)

We’ll conduct an in-depth disability management assessment of the organization’s current workplace incident practices.

We’ll also compile reporting and monitor the key metrics that affect provincial or territorial workers compensation board premiums and experience.

(8)

Why Manulife?

As a trusted insurer and group benefits provider, Occupational Management Services from Manulife allows employers to better integrate their workplace incident program with their disability plan. The result is a proven service model with a seamless transition to long term disability benefits should employees need it. A seamless process, combined with integrated reporting for all types of absences means employers get the full picture about any trends or issues affecting their business – from a single source, Manulife. Our program management services have helped employers bring their workplace incident experience into focus and reduce their costs associated with absence durations, injury frequency and compensation premiums.*

* based on Manulife claims experience. WellConnected®

WellConnected®_{is our suite of disability and absence}

management products and services. When it comes to disability and absence management programs, we see our job as making our client’s job easier.

Contact your Manulife representative to learn more.

Manulife Group Benefits

Manulife Group Benefits is a premier health benefits manager that offers a full spectrum of products and services to support all stages of the employee health continuum. Our practical approach to health management, coupled with effective claims management delivers better outcomes, ensuring plan sustainability today and into the future.