Success Stories
The Impact of Telehealth Injury Intervention on Maritime Workers
The Story
HealthWorks Medical, LLC is a leading full-service Occupational Health company headquartered in Paducah, Kentucky. HealthWorks specializes in designing medical cost management solutions for employers that are in search of a reprieve from inflated medical pricing and PPO overpayment.
Over the past several years, HealthWorks has served as the Medical Director for several of the region’s largest maritime transportation companies – providing a variety of medical management solutions.
The Challenge
Maritime transportation operations are logistically complex and sometimes requireemployees to operate within remote environments for extended periods of time – withlimited access to traditional medical resources.
Delayed injury response
Inability to access medical facilities
Lack of ongoing care
This posed the question:
How can maritime employers increase access to qualityhealthcare for their workers operating in austere environments?
All employer partners wanted quality and simplicity with their injury response programthat included:
Dedicated 24/7 ability to communicate with a healthcare provider from anywhere inthe world
Access to medical staff that understood the unique challenges of the maritime industry
The ability to effectively triage non-emergent injuries in “real-time” prior tooffboarding personnel
The Approach
January 1st, 2022 – HealthWorks creates their new “Marine Injury ResponseProgram”.
This “high touch” injury prevention system utilizes a team of occupationally trained clinicians, technology and equipment to deliver a product that is targeted and effective. This program gets associates feeling better fast while keeping them on the vessel. This is achieved through OSHA non-recordable virtual intervention that’s provided through a dedicated “smart app” available on each vessel.
Program Design
So, what does this all cost?
HealthWorks employer partners pay a monthly “per-click” feeto access the Maritime Injury Response Program. On average, employees participate in 4-6 visits per injury.
HealthWorks provides the services below as part of their Maritime Injury ResponseProgram.
Injury Triage/Assessment
Rapid, virtual intervention with Drs. of Physical Therapy thatdiagnoses injury and determines proper course of action.
Injury Treatment
Employees are assigned a treatment program that includesstretches and exercises that improve symptoms quickly.
24/7 App Access
Employees have access programs and the ability to directlymessage Physical Therapists and Strength and ConditioningSpecialists with questions.
Rehab Equipment
Vessels are outfitted with injury prevention kits that includenon-rigid bracing and other implements utilized by PhysicalTherapists
The Results
1st Quarter 2022:
A total of 32 unique cases were referred to the HealthWorks InjuryManagement Team for evaluation + treatment resulting in a 96% success rate.
The resulting operational cost savings from each offboarding avoidance is estimated to be $29,100.
“Success” is defined as creating a treatment plan that resulted in the employee to self-manage their recovery plan and maintaining work aboard the vessel without offboardingfor further medical care.
CASE SUMMARY
| Injury Type | # of Cases | # Offboard |
| Low Back | 20 | 1 |
| Shoulder | 3 | 0 |
| Knee | 4 | 0 |
| Ankle | 1 | 0 |
| Wrist | 2 | 0 |
| Hip | 1 | 0 |
| Abdominal | 1 | 0 |
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How Can We Help?
We look forward to supporting your organization and affordably address the healthcare needs of your employees and their families.