What are the Implications for NTD's in NSW
The
role of the NTD has never been more important for most stakeholders in the
system than it is now.
For
Injured Workers
What
is written in the medial certificate will affect:
- Their access to
treatment
- Access to benefits
- Access to rehabilitation
support
- The attitude displayed
to them by insurers
Accurate
assessment and understanding of injury management is essential for:
- An accurate diagnosis
- Appropriate referrals to
specialists
- Acknowledgment and understanding by
other stakeholders – i.e. insurers and employers of the nature and extent of an
IW’s injury
- Appropriate and timely
treatments being instigated
- Identification of
secondary and tertiary problems such as pain management and psychological
health issues that are a barrier to successful rehabilitation
Timely
interventions and reviews will ensure the injured worker is not:
- Left without adequate
income support
- Left without any necessary treatment access
- Left without assistance
when trying to find alternative work with a chronic injury in a competitive and
discriminating labour market
- Unnecessarily
disadvantaged and cause further distress on the workers family
For
Employers
The
information provided on the medical certificate:
- Will determine the
appropriateness of suitable duties being offered
- In some cases influence
whether suitable duties are available
- Affects the progress of
the injured workers recovery to full duties
- Affects the likelihood
employers are fined for not providing appropriate duties for their injured
workers
- Affects the attitude of
employers dealing with injured workers generally
- Affects the employers
premiums and bottom line of their business
For
Treatment Providers
The
information provided on the medical certificate:
- Will affect whether a
treatment is considered as reasonable or necessary
- Will influence how many
sessions of treatment are approved
- Will affect the attitude
the insurer has to the patients claim as a whole
- Will affect whether the
treatment provider will get paid
The attitude and proficiency of the NTD will influence:
- Whether the overall
claim / case is being managed efficiently and in a timely manner
- Whether the treatment
the particular health care provider initiates benefits the IW as much as it
could if it is integrated into a holistic health care plan
- Whether there is good
communication amongst the treatment and rehabilitation teams
OTHER
INFORMATION FOR DOCTORS
To
make full use of this website feel free to browse for other information of
relevance to your role as the team leader of your injured worker’s treatment
team
- View information on Management of Physical Injuries
Guidelines by New Zealand’s ACC,and Dr Ross Mills, Occupational Health
Physician
- View Information on the identification and
management of psychological injuries
- Problem solve difficult cases and manage
conflict situations with the information from our General Information sections
for treatment providers
- Know what is happening and what should be
happening with your patients injury health and claim status along specific time
lines
- Feel free to
check out the information and guidelines put forward to the other stakeholders
you will be working with.
