Recology

$3.5M Savings with Medication Review

Overview

Recology employs more than 2,100 associates to manage municipal solid waste disposal and recycling services to more than 670,000 residential and 95,000 commercial customers. Recology’s solutions span the needs of urban, suburban and rural communities such as street and commercial facility cleaning, landscaping, and maintenance and waste collection.

Connection with CorVel

Recology partnered with CorVel in October 2012 to provide an integrated Workers’ Compensation and Managed Care Program. CorVel was chosen for the proven success with focusing on patient advocacy, a proactive care approach and partnerships with local treating physicians. Recology was also impressed with CorVel’s tailored service model that accommodated all aspects of their union-heavy industry, specialized work environment and tenured employees.

Medication Review Program

In order to reverse the effects of overprescribing, one of Recology’s program challenges, CorVel implemented a Medication Review Programin early 2013. CorVel’s program examines injured workers’ entire drug history to determine medical necessity and works with the treating physician to consider alternative medications and treatments to ensure best practices for pain management. Through effective management of medication usage and treatment plans appropriate to each injury, unnecessary medical costs were avoided and Recology experienced impressive savings.

Getting Injured Workers Back to Work

A Recology employee had a spine injury and had not returned to work since the injury. In order to assist with chronic pain, the employee was prescribed multiple opioids and developed a dependence after several years. Through the Medication Review Program, the employee decreased opioid intake by 47% and worked with physicians to continue weaning off of all medications that were not medically necessary. In addition, the employee’s physical functionality has greatly improved since starting the program.

Savings that Matter

Since the implementation of CorVel’s Medication Review Program, Recology has saved more than $3.5 million. With a shared commitment to ensure the highest level of care for injured workers, CorVel provides the most appropriate care in the most cost effective manner, ultimately helping return Recology’s injured workers to a high quality of life.