CASE STUDY: SUPPORTING EMPLOYEE MENTAL HEALTH THROUGH DISABILITY MANAGEMENT SERVICES

A Canadian trucking company chose Disability Management Institute (DMI) as a partner in their disability management strategy. They engaged DMI for support with Occupational Services, which includes end to end management of their Worker’s Compensation Board (WCB) claims.

Assessment and Planning

Through their continued collaborative relationship, the trucking company knew to engage DMI by submitting a claim through their employer portal, advising that one of their employees had been involved in a tragic and traumatic workplace accident that had resulted in another individual’s death. The trucking company followed the straight-forward process of engaging DMI, providing the employee’s contact information and details of the injury. DMI’s administration team set up the file within 1 business day and assigned it to the client’s primary DMI case manager. DMI then took care of submitting the claim to the Board through direct Business to Business case management system.

Before the claim was submitted to the Worker’s Compensation Board, The DMI team immediately acted by reaching out to the Board to arrange for the employee to receive trauma counselling DMI was able to get the employee on the list for a psychological evaluation so that the Board could render a decision on the claim and issue benefits as soon as possible.

Intervention and Evaluation

Next, DMI contacted the employee to offer support. It was communicated to DMI that the employee’s first language was not English, so DMI was able to engage a team member who was fluent in the employee’s native language. Not only did this make it easier for them to tell their story, but DMI was able to accurately provide resources to the employee without needing additional repetition, follow up, or risking information getting lost in translation. The DMI team was able to advocate for the employee with the Board to ensure that they were set up with counselling in their first language.

DMI maintained regular follow ups with the Board to advocate for the employee to have a psychiatric evaluation completed as soon as possible. The persistent advocacy resulted in a scheduled evaluation less than 1 month after the injury date; this shortened timeline was a huge success compared to the typical wait time of four to six months. The claim was approved ten days after the completion of this evaluation.

Return-to-Work Plan

The DMI team continued to support the employee as they proceeded through treatment. After less than three months of absence, DMI referred the file to their in-house Return to Work (RTW) department, whose sole function is return to work planning, development, and implementation. One of our Kinesiologist Return to Work Specialists connected to the appropriate treatment provider to identify the employee’s restrictions and limitations. The specialist initiated a progressive return to work plan that enabled the employee to gradually re-enter the workplace and build up their resiliency. The Return-to-Work Specialist was able to monitor the plan, checking in with the employee frequently to measure their progress and adjust as necessary to ensure the plan was sustainable. The employee returned to their regular duties about one month after starting the gradual return to work plan.

Outcome

Through DMI’s expertise with mental health claims, they often see that it can take five months or longer for employees to have an evaluation completed and receive a decision on their claim. With the DMI team’s quick action and expertise in navigating complex files, they were able to resolve this claim in four months including the employee’s psychological evaluation, treatment plan, and full return to work.

The trucking company was grateful for the support from DMI and the positive impact their actions had on the employee and the company. DMI strives to get the best possible outcome for all parties; the employee was fully supported and got the treatment and assistance they required, allowing them to successfully recover and regain their earnings in a timely manner. The duration of the claim was significantly reduced, cutting down on the costs associated with the claim and the resulting financial burden on the employer.

Disability Management Institute (DMI)

DMI is a third-party organization focused on effectively managing disability claims for employers across Canada. There are many good reasons to use a third party who specializes in disability; so much so, that GroupHEALTH includes these services with all long-term disability plans.

DMI acts as the liaison between you (the employer), your ill or injured employee, and the insurance company. They manage paperwork, regulations, and status updates. They also work directly with the employee, which means helping them navigate all aspects of the absence. This can include helping with paperwork that needs to be submitted, resources that can be accessed, and maintaining a connection to the workplace. Being off work due to disability can be very isolating, so maintaining a connection to the workplace is important.

Good advice is key

Are you interested in a sustainable disability plan that is designed for your business? It can be done. Review your options with one of our licensed advisors on the phone, or contact us for a comparison quote.

Whether you’re looking for extended health and dental coverage, disability coverage, or life and critical illness coverage, GroupHEALTH has affordable benefit packages that work as hard as you do.