Problems with Treatment
There are a number of factors that affect treatment responsiveness.
These include:
- The treatment being inappropriate for the injury. The correct diagnosis may not have been made or more information needs to be available before the most appropriate interventions are applied. This may involve referral to a more sophisticated test, such as an MRI because rest and interventions such as physiotherapy are exacerbating symptoms or having no positive results.
- Treatment may be too early. For example a gym strengthening program ordered before the injury is treated correctly would lead to further problems with recovery or reinjury.
- Quality of treatment may be lacking and treatment providers may have a poor "bedside manner". This could lead to a lack of injured worker engagment in treatment and subsequently a poor outcome.
- Access to treatment can be an issue.
These problems may be the result of:
- The Agent not approving necessary treatment (therefore deemed as unreasonable and unnecessary)
- Extended delays with approval and therefore delays with commencement of treatment
- Conflicting opinions between the your treatment team and the Agent about the best way to treat and manage an injury
- Extensive delays in getting an appointment for a specialists opinion
- Irregularity or extensive delays in receiving treatment
What you can consider doing about your concerns:
1. Discuss with your NTD. Your NTD plays an essential role in the management of your workplace injury and in the progress of the claim generally. It is essential that your NTD not only manages your basic work injury, but remains focussed and committed to supporting you with the other challenges that occur - this may require a call to the agent, a treatment provider or specialist or a request for a case conference. It is essential that communication is facilitated between all parties.
2. Get your case manager from the externally appointed rehabilitation provider to discuss your issues with your NTD, treatment team and agent. A good rehabilitation provider will be opening up communication, assisting with the development of goals and time frames and helping to make adjustments to plans to deal with obstacles. If the case manager is from a rehabilitation provider that was appointed by the agent or your employer, and they consitently do not seem to have your interests at heart, change providers. As mentioned, injured workers have the right to choose rehabilitation and treatment providers.
3. Get a member of your treatment team to discuss or communicate in writing with your NTD. Your treatment providers often have more time with you than your NTD and sometimes you may feel more open to discussing conerns with them than your NTD. Suggest and encourage your treatment provider to communicate with your NTD to keep him / her "in the loop" about progress and of any particular concerns they (the NTD) should know about.
