WCB - Key Principles Of Injury Management

Workplace injuries can result in substantial financial losses to the employer, as well as considerable physical, emotional, and financial setbacks to the employee. As time off work due to a disabling injury increases, injury-related expenses such as employee substitution costs, indemnity payments and medical and legal expenses escalate. The potential negative impact of prolonged disability on employee and employer alike is compounded by an accompanying decrease in the probability of return to work. It is the minority of workers with long-term disability which accounts for the majority of workers' compensation costs.

What Is Our Rehabilitation Model?

Rehabilitation, as defined by Westview Chiropractic* is a progressive, time-limited, dynamic, goal-oriented, intervention which enables an individual with a physical impairment to reach their optimal functional capacity. Westview Chiropractic’s injury management system recognizes injured workers and employers as the primary stakeholders in the WCB system while aiming to be effective and cost-efficient . Employers and Westview Chiropractic should play a central role in the return to work of injured employees and that all parties involved combine in the decision-making process, while maintaining maximum program transparency. Restoration of function is the primary goal of rehabilitation and it is necessary to assess each individual for disability status and their return to work capability along the parameters of best practice and evidence based care. Return to work plans will vary according to the needs of the injured worker, but the main focus remains constant - returning the employee back into the workplace at the earliest possible stage. Most occupational studies report a substantial improvement in return to work rates for injured workers who participate in modified work programs - often doubling of return to work rates when modified work programs were implemented. And, as you are aware, modified work programs are both effective and economically feasible.

What Sets Our Rehabilitation Program Apart From Others?

Health and safety and programs are designed to prevent injury and illness, but when the unfortunate occurs, proper case management and an expeditious return-to-work program reduces costs, improves worker morality and minimizes litigation. Westview Chiropractic ensures the best possible care. A trained, certified staff member will schedule your injured worker at our convenient location, and Dr. Vanderleest will evaluate your injured employee based on the injury and work requirements. We also will provide the necessary information regarding patient progress. Our goal is to return healthy, productive employees back to the work place.

Here's a brief overview of what sets Westview Chiropractic Care Management apart from the average rehabilitation centre:

Ease of Access - Telephone, fax, email.

Central point of contact - One number to remember - 489.0469

Dedicated, friendly staff. Rachelle and Marlene will be pleased to assist you.

Early intervention— Guaranteed same day appointments to expedite healing

Accountability toward appropriate patient services

One healthcare provider - From time of referral through discharge, each case is evaluated and treated by a Doctor of Chiropractic. This limits treatment interruptions, and maintains standards of care (often the limitations of multi practitioner facilities).

Continual open lines of communication

Comprehensive Reports - Diagnosis, Progress and Modified Duty reports. Compliance updates

Quality, best-practice focused care Authorized WCB facility

Studies on Chiropractic and WCB

Stanos Study

This study, conducted in 1993, compared health care costs of patients who received chiropractic care for neuro-musculoskeletal problems with those treated solely by medical and osteopathic physicians. After reviewing nearly 2,000,000 chiropractic records, researcher Miron Stano, Ph.D., of Oakland University, concluded that patients that receive chiropractic care, either solely or in conjunction with medical care, experienced significantly lower health care costs.

Chiropractic Dramatically Cuts Health Care Costs

Oakland University's Stano Cost Comparison Study of 395,641 patients with one or more of 493 neuromusculoskeletal conditions was undertaken to compare the health care costs of patients who have received chiropractic treatment to those treated solely by medical or osteopathic physicians. The results showed that patients receiving chiropractic care experienced significantly lower health care costs. Chiropractic patients saved over $1000 per patient over the two-year study.

The Nevada Workers’ Compensation Study

For the three year period ending in 1990, the average medical cost per patient ($2142) was 260% higher than the average chiropractic case ($892). Injured workers are often able to continue working while receiving chiropractic treatments. This may not be the case with standard medical treatment protocol of bed rest and medication. Chiropractic eliminated the concern of unnecessary surgery, inappropriate hospitalization, improper use of medication and the high frequency of narcotic analgesics. This study found loss of work time under chiropractic care is less than one-third of the time lost under medical care. The study also found that the average medical cost per patient was 260 percent higher than the average chiropractic cost.

The Texas Workers’ Compensation Report

The Texas Chiropractic / Workers’ Compensation Report found the average claim for a worker with a low-back injury was $15,884. If a chiropractor provided at least 90 percent of the care, however, the average cost declined by more than 50 percent, to $7,632.

American Journal of Managed Care, Mosley et.al. (1996)

"The cost of health care for back and neck pain was substantially lower for chiropractic patients than for non-chiropractic patients ($539 vs. $474) The authors conclude that properly managed chiropractic care can yield outcomes in terms of surgical requirements and patient satisfaction that are equal to those of non-chiropractic care, at a substantially lower cost per patient."

Chiropractic Users Have Lower Health Care Costs

A 1992 review of data from over 2,000,000 users of chiropractic care in the U.S., reported in the Journal of American Health Policy, stated that, "chiropractic users tend to have substantially lower total health care costs," and "chiropractic care reduces the use of both physician and hospital care."

Chiropractic Patients Recover 10 Times Faster Than Medical Patients

A workers' compensation study conducted in Utah compared the cost of chiropractic care to the costs of medical care for conditions with identical diagnostic codes. Results were reported in the 1991 Journal of Occupational Medicine. The study indicated that costs were significantly higher for medical claims than for chiropractic claims; in addition, the number of work days lost was nearly ten times higher for those who received medical care instead of chiropractic care.

Chiropractic Reduces Treatment Costs By 260%

The State Industrial Insurance Systems (SIIS) in Nevada compared the average medical and chiropractic care for patients who suffered industrial injuries from 1988-1990. The results showed that 24.4 percent were back injuries but they accounted for more than 50 percent of all medical costs. Over the three-year period, the average medical cost per patient was $2,142 which was 260 percent higher than the average chiropractic cost per patient of $892; Loss of work time under chiropractic care is less than one-third that for medical care. Furthermore, injured workers are able to continue working while receiving chiropractic care that may not be an option for medical care patients who are advised to have bed rest and medication. The Nevada Worker's Compensation Study emphasized that chiropractic eliminates the concern and expense of inappropriate hospitalization, unnecessary surgery, and improper use of medication including the high dosage of narcotic painkillers.

State of California Industrial Back Injury Study:

Richard Wolf, MD, questioned 1000 patients about work time loss and residual pain, and 629 patients responded, of which half were medically treated and the other half were treated by chiropractic.
Conclusion of study: Patient time loss was cut in half under chiropractic care compared to medical care in all three categories. Chiropractic effectiveness is two to one better over medical care in these types of ailments.

Chiropractic Journal of Australia, Ebral (1992)

"Of 1,996 low back pain cases studied, patients receiving chiropractic treatment averaged 6.26 compensation days compared to 25.56 compensation days for medical patients." Chiropractic Journal of Australia, Ebral (1992)

British Medical Journal (1990) British Medical Research Council Study

"Chiropractic treatment was more effective than hospital outpatient management, mainly for patients with chronic or severe back pain."

British Medical Journal (1990)

"Low back pain of mechanical origin: Randomized comparison of chiropractic and hospital outpatient management Two and three years after patients with back pain were treated by chiropractors, they experienced far less pain than those who were treated by medical doctors.

Chiropractic Offers Less Lost Work Days Than Medicine A 1991 report on a workers' compensation study conducted in Oregon concluded that the median time loss days (per case) for comparable injuries was 9.0 for patients receiving treatment by a doctor of chiropractic and 11.5 for treatment by a medical doctor.

Conditions Successfully Treated at Westview Chiropractic

Low Back Pain

Neck Pain

Shoulder Injuries

Sprains and Strains

Repetitive Strain Injuries - Carpal Tunnel - Tennis/ Golfer’s Elbow

Headaches/ Migraines

Ankle Injuries

Knee Injuries

Muscle (myofascial) Strain

Dietary and Nutrition Counseling - Vitamins/ Supplement advise