In the post-COVID world, your business needs a robust employee wellness program that includes physical therapy and preventive care.
What if you knew that the most important part of your business was about to fail? Would you invest now to prevent that from happening, or wait and pay more once it happens?
Regardless of your industry, the thing that makes your business tick is your workforce. It’s the lifeblood of any organization, and just like processes that can be optimized or equipment that can be regularly serviced, your team is susceptible to falling into disrepair.
Last year, more than 2.8 million nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses were reported to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Of those, nearly 900,000 American workers missed at least one day of work because of injury and illness, costing the U.S. more than $250 billion in lost economic output.
Applying those numbers to your business, that’s increased healthcare costs, lost appointments and productivity, loss of morale to the rest of your team, and loss of reputation and revenue.
While there are many ways that your business can mitigate the impacts of workforce injury, the most effective is preventing them before they occur. CORA Physical Therapy is a trusted partner in this effort, providing WorkTracks as a comprehensive program for understanding, motivating, healing and protecting patients. It also streamlines recovery timelines and costs for your business.
As you consider the various components of your employee wellness program, here are the top four ways to measure the value of physical therapy for your workforce:
Reduce Work Injury Claims and Sick Leave
Whether your business is in an industrial, outside, office or even remote setting, your team is susceptible to the hazards of the job. That could be slips, trips and falls, wear-and-tear injuries, or something caused by an accident, but CORA can provide solutions before, during or after an incident occurs. So, if you had a choice, why not intervene before there’s a claim?
- Education—injury and illness prevention and rehabilitation techniques increase employees’ knowledge and problem-solving skills
- Job Site Analysis—a direct, OSHA-friendly approach that prevents injury by identifying hazards and appropriate task modifications
- Ergonomic Assessment & Intervention—accurate evaluation of work sites and tasks to lower the risk of injury
- Early Symptom Intervention—biometric screening and health-risk assessments establish baselines and identify employees at risk of injury or illness.
CORA offers assessment and intervention services that can help reduce your risks. Additionally, you can take advantage of in-person care at more than 200 locations; ongoing telehealth services that allow patients to access care via video calls, texting and recorded videos; as well as remote care where our physical therapists travel to your home or business.
Particularly if your business is in an industry such as construction, where claims could prevent you from winning future projects, preventive care becomes an insurance policy for the success of your business.
Increase Employee Retention and Productivity
Especially after a year of COVID-19 and economic interruptions, workers are looking for stability in employment and enhanced health benefits. Physical therapy is a key tool in preventing or healing injuries, which has an obvious correlation with physical productivity.
What should not be overlooked is the relationship between peace of mind and productivity. Physical health has a huge effect on mental clarity and focusing on work. Aside from injuries that cause an employee to miss work, nagging injuries can also distract your workers and sap their output even while on the clock.
Employee retention is a complex topic, but the quality of healthcare provided by the business remains one of the most important factors for American workers. Adding services to existing plans helps employees know that their feedback is valued and that your business is willing to invest in their health and wellbeing.
Recruit Better Talent With Better Benefits
A 2016 survey showed that 60% of American jobseekers would be willing to take a lower-paying job if it meant better benefits. While a robust employee wellness program is done directly for the benefit of existing employees and the business, it can also reinforce company culture and help attract future talent.
When additional services, such as physical therapy, are added to your employee benefits, make sure to highlight those for current employees and job applicants. As the economy recovers from COVID-19 and hiring picks up again, enhanced benefits will be a major differentiator for businesses like yours.
Improve Employee Health Outcomes
Most working adults spend more time with their work families than their relatives, creating personal bonds that humanize your business. That’s why it’s so important to see your staff happy and healthy at all times. CORA is committed to providing the care necessary to keep your staff positively engaged so that they can achieve better outcomes and enjoy doing what they do best.
How do we do this? One way is through progress reports based on standardized, objective benchmarks, completed every two weeks. In our experience, a consistent and calculated commitment to health and wellness results in fewer claims, faster closed claims, a lower injury rate, a lower user error rate, reduced absenteeism and increased employee engagement, satisfaction and adherence.
By keeping the communication and the back-to-work process transparent, we can all work together on the best health outcomes.
Make CORA Part of Your Employee Wellness Team
At CORA Physical Therapy, we understand that Work Comp cases can be challenging for companies because of each stakeholder involved. From the attorney to the risk manager and adjuster to the medical provider, everyone has their own priorities which are not always aligned. Yet, each component plays an important role in executing a successful return-to-work program for the patient.
That’s why we lead with flexibility and empathy, offering solutions that improve a patient’s whole person and overall quality of life. It’s about quality of life, and a feeling of safety and security for every patient. CORA guarantees the following through WorkTracks:
- Appointments scheduled within 24 hours—typically within one hour;
- Evaluation reports made accessible within 24 hours of appointment
The goal of WorkTracks is to provide the highest quality care to our patients. We recognize how important workforce is to your business, and we understand how to help companies navigate the complicated nature of Work Comp claims.
Want to know what that looks like for your business? Please contact our team at rapidreferral@corahealth.com with any questions.
