Evaluation of a case management program. Summary and integration of findings.

1. Occupational health nurses can advocate for fair and equitable policies for both workers and employers. Assisting workers to understand and negotiate through the workers compensation system can minimize suspicion among workers and service providers, and can increase the effectiveness and efficiency of service provision. 2. Occupational health nurses can work with the team of service providers and the injured worker to develop appropriate and realistic goals for service provision. Make sure there is clarity related to the roles and responsibilities of all persons on the team (including the injured worker) is essential. Consistency and continuity of services throughout the life of the case is crucial. 3. The injury and its sequelae have personal meaning to the worker that may profoundly affect the outcome of their case. The OHN/CM must be sensitive and responsive to the worker's issues and concerns, and respectful of their views. Workers must be assisted to identify and tap into their social support systems. 4. Occupational health nurse/case managers should take an active role in developing and advocating for strategies that will assure effective and meaningful communication among all parties involved in a case.

Evaluating case management services for injured workers. Use of a quality assessment model.

An increasing number of employers and third party administrators are choosing case management as a strategy to coordinate services for workers who sustain an occupational injury or illness. The successful delivery of case management services requires the service provider possess special skills and knowledge. Occupational health nurses are uniquely qualified to provide case management services to injured and ill workers. The effectiveness of case management services is generally described in terms of costs and quality of services; thus, determining the effectiveness of a case management program requires an evaluation of costs and service quality.

Case management services for injured workers. Providers' perspectives.

The perceptions of service providers involved in case management services are described here. The service providers included claims managers, occupational nurse consultants, attending physicians, and nurse case managers. The purposes of this phase of the study were to describe these providers' perceptions about the case management program; to organize findings according to the quality assessment model that guided this study (including structure, function, and outcomes); and to identify barriers and facilitators to satisfaction with case management services. Structural factors that affected services included the workers' compensation system, construction of the service team, roles within the program, and individual attributes of service providers. Process factors were conflicts among parties, role of communication, and interaction with workers. Outcomes were described in terms of program efficiency and effectiveness. Data are used to illustrate and explain each of these themes.

Case management for injured workers. A descriptive study using a record review.

A record review was used to examine case management services provided to 36 workers who sustained a catastrophic or medically complex injury, and who were referred to a case management program. The aims of this phase of the evaluation were to identify and describe: Workers' demographics and personal attributes, The structures and processes that affected the course of these cases, and The role of the nurse case manager (NCM). A data collection instrument was developed to collect quantitative and qualitative information. Structural factors that emerged as most consequential included the quality and quantity of the injured worker's social support and the employment situation, including the availability of a job post-injury, employer support, and worker motivation. Process variables identified included the interactions of service providers including communication, and collaboration. The NCM was described as a monitor, coordinator, supporter, and advocate for the worker. Additionally, the NCM served as a consultant to other service providers and played a key role in the implementation of cost containment strategies.

Return to work experience of injured workers in a case management program.

A major goal of case management programs is the worker's timely return to work. Few studies have examined return to work from the perspective of the injured worker. This article describes the findings from the case management evaluation that describe the return to work experience of workers who sustained catastrophic injuries, or who had secondary conditions or complications following the injury occurrence. Among the factors determined to affect the return to work experience were structural factors (i.e., psychosocial variables including job satisfaction and relationship with employer and coworkers, financial pressures, and system issues such as securing benefits) and process factors (i.e., interaction with service providers and with the workers' compensation system). Outcomes are described in terms of satisfaction with services and return to work.

Injured workers' perceptions of case management services. A descriptive study.

This article describes the findings from a study of injured workers conducted as part of a multifaceted evaluation study of a case management program. The sample consisted of workers who filed a workers' compensation claim between January 1 and September 30, 1995. Data collection consisted of written surveys (n = 45), personal interviews (n = 27), and telephone interviews (n = 16). The findings from this study provided many insights into the injured workers' personal and work experiences, and, in particular, their perceptions of their experience with the nurse case management program. Workers satisfied with services described the nurse case manager (NCM) as having the ability to see the "big picture," to develop appropriate goals, and to anticipate client needs. Dissatisfied workers reported feeling unimportant in terms of service provision. They reported feeling that "the system" did not respond to their needs, and that the NCM was uninterested and disrespectful. This vivid portrayal of workers' experiences and perceptions of case management services provides valuable information about the world view of the injured worker.