The
economy recovery is uneven at best. Auto manufacturing is hamstrung by scarcity of parts and a steel shortage, construction by not enough sawmill and timber workers, and many sectors desperate for parts lamenting the scarcity of
Hotels, restaurants, cruise lines and airlines are still a long way from pre-COVID revenues.
Supply chains will straighten out, demand will drive up wages for workers in key sectors, and that will drive increased employment.
All that may well increase occupational injuries.
from
As “injury-intensive” industries such as manufacturing, logistics, energy, and construction staff up and accelerate production to meet rising demand, they will:
Those darn facility costs…
WCRI s latest survey of outpatient hospital costs, reimbursement, and all manner of related matters is just off the presses. There s data about specific states costs, network penetration, facility cost trends, surgical costs in WC compared to Medicare, and pretty much anything you need to know.
One surprising data point – network penetration (for outpatient hospital surgeries) has declined in several states over the past 15 years…
HealthAffairs
showing health system consolidation increases Medicare s costs. I m quite sure your costs increase as well. As health system consolidation continues, so will cost increases.
Another study analyzes the
Misinformation by “thought leaders” and their followers is the primary reason.
The
no longer believe herd immunity is possible. Instead COVID will become woven into the fabric of everyday life, with new variants popping up from time to time, killing the most vulnerable and sickening thousands of us. Lest one think that s not a big deal, recall the most common version of COVID now circulating in the US came from Britain – and this version is 60% more transmissible than the “original” version. More concerning still, future variants may well be more lethal.
While there are many factors contributing to the herd immunity problem, the
The so-called advocacy approach to workers compensation claims has gained ground over the past year as injured workers faced anxiety and uncertainty due to delayed medical care and a greater reliance on technology during the COVID-19 pandemic, experts say.Â
Workers have needed more help steering through the claims process, including using technology to access remote health care, and the extra stresses endured have highlighted the importance of behavioral health services, they say.Â
âAdvocacy is really about helping the injured worker navigate the workers compensation landscape and their medical care. ⦠Over the last year that need has only increased,â said Mike Hessling, Rollings Meadows, Illinois-based CEO North America of Gallagher Bassett Services Inc.Â
Joe Paduda
Good to be back in the habit of regular posting…lots going on deserving of your attention.
Drugs
From myMatrixx, a very useful post from Phil Walls, everyone s favorite pharmacist. Phil highlights three drugs in the pipeline that may well find a place in work comp.
Nalmefene was developed as the naloxone for fentanyl. While naloxone has saved countless people on the verge of dying from opioid overdose, a single dose isn t strong enough to save someone on fentanyl. Read Phil s post for details.
Two other meds –
Molnupiravir and Ofev may help patients battling COVID. The former is an anti-viral, easily administered and offering the potential to reduce the length of infection. Ofev is more narrowly focused on combating a very serious lung disorder associated with COVID.