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| On a daily basis CompChoice provides solutions to companies with occupational health issues. That is why we have changed the title of our newsletter to “Solutions in Occupational Health.” Enclosed is our second installment of this newsletter. We would like to share some of the successful “solutions” that Cindy Lainson, R.N./Clinic Director and the providers of CompChoice, along with our trusted outside resources, have come up with to help companies with their hiring practices, work comp cost containment, and return to work issues. Our hope is that you will learn from these case studies and maybe even share some of your own “solutions.” Please feel free to email your “solutions” to danatha@compchoice.net. | ||||||
| Click here to read more on Solutions for Cumulative Trauma Complaints |  |
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| By: Dean Wampler, M.D. | ||||||
| Summers in the Midwest are known for heat and humidity. This combination creates health risks because high humidity makes the body’s natural radiator (sweating) less effective from diminished evaporation. Illness from working in heat ranges from muscle cramps to heat stroke. Cramps come from not enough water and electrolytes. If you drink just water during work, you should add fruit for potassium and a salty snack. Sport drinks like Gatorade contain electrolytes. | ||||||
| Click here to read more on Heat Stress. | ||||||
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| ABC's of Injury Care | ||||||||||
| By: James Mayer, M.D. | ||||||||||
It has been my experience that educating the patient about expected healing time, course of action, and modified work during the initial office visit is crucial in aiding a successful return to work and overall outcome. I correlate my initial history, which I believe to be the most accurate account of the injury, with the mechanism of injury reported by the patient and my exam of the injured body part. If I can’t find the correlation, I ask for clarification in an attempt to get a better understanding of the relationship between the event, mechanism of injury, and the injured body part. I need 1 + 1 to add up to 2 or I know I don’t have the whole story. For example, if a worker tells me he slipped, fell on the floor, landed on his buttocks and now his collarbone hurts, I know I don’t have the whole story! During the history taking process I believe it is imperative to ask about previous injuries and/or if there is any on going care. Often after questioning patients will tell me that they are being treated for an injury to a specific body part and are experiencing chronic and constant pain of 2/10 (pain level of 2 on a scale of 10). It is my job to let them know what their baseline is and that the goal is return them to their baseline and not back to 0/10. I also educate the patients on the expected timeline for injury
care. Although each injury is different, most fall into a specific
treatment parameter. |
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| 1. | a. Modify their work duties if appropriate for healing and based on objective, not subjective findings i.e. “I hurt my ankle and I need a week off of work”. | |||||||||
| b. Treat with appropriate pain medication, muscle relaxers, and ice the affected area. | ||||||||||
| c. Introduce basic home stretches and strengthening exercises if appropriate. | ||||||||||
| d. Educate the patient on normal healing time and what expectation I have of their participation in the healing process. | ||||||||||
| e. The same restrictions apply when not at work. | ||||||||||
| 2. | On the return office visit I look for improvement. If the patient has followed the treatment plan and there is no significant improvement I will re-educate and consider physical therapy. | |||||||||
| 3. | a. If the patient is still not showing improvement and the clinical exam indicates, I consider appropriate imaging studies to obtain a more definitive diagnosis. | |||||||||
| b. If the imaging studies reveal a surgical need, I make a referral to the appropriate physician for the best outcome. | ||||||||||
| 4. | If surgical intervention is not needed I would consider a local cortisone shot or an epidural injection. | |||||||||
| I have found this overall approach to be very effective in managing work related injuries. Patients understand what is expected and most injuries will resolve through use of these parameters. | ||||||||||
| We
would like to use this column to outline those cases where one and
one were not adding up to two. The goal is to help all of us by sharing
the process of resolving difficult cases. Help us out by sharing your
difficult cases when things weren’t adding up. No names will
ever be used, just the circumstances of the case. We want to hear
about those cases when you knew you didn’t have the whole story-you
know the ones we mean. E-mail your difficult cases to Cindy Lainson, RN @: clainson@compchoice.net |
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| Summary of our June Breakfast Seminar | ||||||||||
| The most recent installment
of the on going CompChoice educational breakfast series was a great
success with almost 50 work comp professionals in attendance. All
of us at CompChoice would like to thank those of you who were able
to make it. We hope you found the information provided both pertinent
and valuable. Based on the number of questions posed to the speakers
it appears you did!
For those of you unable to attend, our clinic director, Cindy Lainson,
has put together an outline summarizing the content of the seminar.
Dr. Charles Burt (Nebraska Orthopaedic Associates) presented information
on the Surgical Advances in the Treatment of Shoulder Disorders.
Dr. Dean Wampler spoke on Management of Work Related Shoulder Injuries.
We encourage you to e-mail any questions you have to danatha@compchoice.net.
Dan will obtain the answers from the doctors and forward them on
to you. |
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| Click Here for the June 2nd Breakfast Seminar Summary | ||||||||||
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| July Breakfast Seminar on FMLA | ||||||||||
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| Click Here for your invitation to the next CompChoice Breakfast Seminar | ||||||||||
| • The next Occupational Health Nurse luncheon will be July 27th from 11:30-1:00 at the Omaha CompChoice Clinic. | ||||||||||
| • It’s coming….The CompChoice website is under construction. Plan on adding www.compchoice.net to your favorites list soon! |  |
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