How many of you have had difficulties with getting a physician to work with you on getting your employees back to work?

Let’s take a step back and look at it from the treating physician’s perspective. What is their number one objective when they see one of your employees? It’s the health and well being of their patient. They don’t look at their patient as your employee, instead they see their patient.

Companies complain constantly that it’s the doctor’s fault for their high insurance costs and describe them as “socialists in a white coat.” I personally believe people blame the doctors because they’re an easy target and it provides them an opportunity to not look in the mirror. Not too say that the medical community is not part of the problem. They are a huge headache for employers, but you cannot look at them as if they are the enemy.

So how do you ensure that the physician your injured employee visits has all of the necessary information to make a determination based on what is best for all parties involved? There are four main areas that you need to address in order to accomplish this:

1. Functional job descriptions for every position

2. Written transitional duty process

3. Injury packets for both the doctor and the injured employee

4. A solid, communicative relationship with a local occupational health clinic

All of these are extremely important, but I want to laser in on number four because this is the one most companies have trouble with; the relationship with an occupational health provider.

For the sake of argument, let’s say you have created functional job descriptions for all your positions, you’ve got a written transitional duty policy, and you have developed two injury packets for the doctor and your employees.

In many states, you cannot direct your employees to be treated by a specific provider. However, you can develop a comprehensive relationship with an occupational health provider or general practice clinic in your area. Here are the steps you need to take in order to build a quality relationship with the medical community.

1. Conduct research on local occupational health clinics and coordinate a meeting

2. Invite the occupational health doctor to tour your facility or sites

3. After the tour, provide the doctor with an overview of your workers’ compensation process and layout your goals and objectives. Include a list of your modified duty positions, the Return To Work policy, and include the hours available for those positions

4. Have a candid conversation focused on the concerns for the health and well-being of your employees

These proactive steps will build a trusting relationship with the treating physician by addressing any issues he or she may have about a possible work environment wrought with unconcerned management. Doctors who treat injured employees find it much easier to send their patient back to work if they have met your staff, toured your facility or sites and discussed your Return To Work procedures and other concerns. This vital relationship between the employer and the occupational health doctor is the true transitional point from patient back to productive employee. An invaluable step in abating resistance from the medical community.