Genex Patient Satisfaction Survey Reveals Five Factors That Matter Most to Injured Employees

Communication, Safety Among Key Factors for Successful Recovery and Return to Work During COVID

WAYNE, PA – Feb. 1, 2021 – In a year when health care services across the country were disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, injured employees under the care of Genex case managers reported their highest patient satisfaction scores over a five-year period. The 2020 Genex Field Case Management Patient Satisfaction survey revealed 96.4 percent of injured employees said Genex's field case managers positively impacted their recovery.

"Genex has always prided ourselves on providing excellent coverage of case management services across the country, with professionals who have established connections with local resources to ensure their injured employees receive the attentive care they need to return to work safely and efficiently," said Tim Howard, Senior Vice President, Field Case Management. "Our 2020 scores and the gradual increase in patient satisfaction rates over the past five years show that as Genex expands its case management network, the quality of our services has not suffered. In fact, it has improved consistently. This was especially important in a year where the COVID pandemic put major restrictions on access to care. Our case managers remained in the field, following safety protocols, to ensure those in their care did not suffer delays that would have greatly impacted their ability to resume a functional lifestyle.”

In researching the latest data, Genex leaders identified five critical components that injured employees frequently reported as the most important determinants in meeting recovery goals. The factors cited below highlight why injured employees consider field case management essential to producing positive outcomes.

1) Facilitating communications and planning between physicians, providers and employers

For nearly all the injured employees surveyed, the case manager's ability to communicate with all parties, including other health care providers, adjusters and employers, was a key asset in helping them reach their functional potential. These interactions often go beyond sharing updates on the injured employee's health outcomes and involve developing collaborative communication cycles to promote shared return-to-work goals. Some respondents stated that their case managers also played a vital role in connecting with insurance adjusters and providers when their attempts to do so on their own failed.

"It was great to have Charlene working with me on my recovery,” said one of the injured employees surveyed. "There was an issue between my doctor and the pharmacy, where I was not getting my required after-surgery medication and bandages, etc. I called Charlene, and she took care of it.”

2) Maintaining experience-driven focus on safe and sustained return to work

Ninety percent of all interviewees stated the case manager's focus on getting them back on the job safely, from initial meeting to case closure, was a chief reason for their successful outcomes. Factors included setting realistic goals, obtaining an accurate job description and working with the employer to develop light-duty options to help the injured employee gradually recover while on the job.

"I firmly believe that without Catherine I would not have yet returned to work. She was absolutely the best advocate and worked closely with my surgeon for me to get the needed therapy in order to return to work safely,” said a Genex claimant. "Catherine was very courteous and professional, I felt I really was in good hands, the hands of an angel helping me navigate through a difficult time.”

3) Including the injured employee in their own recovery plan

Being involved in determining one's own goals proved to be an especially important issue for injured employees during the COVID pandemic. Of those surveyed by Genex, 95 percent rated this as one of the most important attributes of their experience with a Genex case manager. They cited factors such as listening to their concerns and developing a course of action, explaining different treatment options so they can make the best decisions, as well as working around conflicts with other parties.

4) Educating, answering questions and addressing concerns of injured employees

Part of the case manager's role is to serve as an advocate and guide through the recovery process, as evidenced by the 97 percent of respondents who cited this as a key factor. For most, their field case manager was a trusted guide who managed obstacles that could have halted their progression, such as securing insurance approval and choosing the right providers. Genex field case managers also served as a voice for the injured employee in ensuring the right questions were being asked and answered.

"Diana helped keep me calm during my visits in which communication between treatments and insurance was lacking,” said one former injured worker. "Basically, she just talked to me like a person, not a case.”

5) Always being available for the injured employee questions and concerns

Following a workplace injury, an employee often struggles with psychosocial elements that may derail his or her recovery. This includes fear of reinjury, loss of income, family stressors and concerns that various parties involved in the care plan don't have the employee's best interest at heart. For this reason, earning the employee's trust is one of the hallmarks for case management success, according to interviewees. In many cases, this includes being available when the injured employee needs them the most.

“She was the best case manager I could have,” said one of the interviewees about her Genex field case manager. “She was attentive, responsive and always genuinely caring for my health and safety. She had a great rapport with my doctor and anyone we had to work with during this whole process. She always asked the right questions and got things rolling. I loved that she would always call me and remind me of my appointments or text me on how I am doing. I greatly appreciated her concern. She was very easy to talk to and I was comfortable from the day I met her to talk about my concerns and issues about my injury.”

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About Genex Services

Genex Services (www.genexservices.com) provides best-in-class clinical solutions that enable customers to transform their bottom lines while enhancing the lives of injured and disabled workers. Genex, a clinical management leader throughout North America, serves the top underwriters of workers' compensation, automobile, disability insurance, third-party administrators and a significant number of Fortune 500 employers. In addition, Genex clinical services are enhanced by intelligent systems and 360-degree data analysis. Its clinical expertise consistently drives superior results related to medical, wage loss, and productivity costs associated with claims in the workers' compensation, disability, automobile, and health care systems. Genex, Mitchell, and Coventry have recently combined their joint industry expertise and advanced technology solutions into one organization to simplify and optimize property, casualty and disability claims processes and services.