Telehealth

On Demand Care Delivers Significant Savings

Case Synopsis

During her evening shift, an employee experienced severe lower back pain after lifting a box. She immediately reported the incident to her manager who assisted in calling CorVel’s Advocacy 24/7. The CorVel nurse assessed the injury and determined the employee should receive medical treatment. Since the injury was musculoskeletal and within Advocacy 24/7 protocols for telehealth, the employee was given the option to immediately connect with a telehealth provider. Upon agreeing, she connected with the physician through her smartphone in less than five minutes.

Immediate Care with Telehealth

After reviewing her medical history and asking a series of questions related to the injury, the physician observed her range of motion and discussed her pain level. The diagnosis was lumbar muscle strain. The treatment plan consisted of stretching, heat to the affected area and a prescription for ibuprophen. She was released to work the next day with restrictions to avoid lifting over 10 pounds and to minimize frequent bending and twisting.

The treatment plan, first fill prescription instructions and return to work restrictions were emailed to the employee immediately. This information was also available in real time in CorVel’s claim system, CareMC, for the claims team to act accordingly, such as alerting CorVel’s Concierge Services to schedule a follow up telehealth visit.

During the follow up telehealth visit, the employee reported she was following the treatment plan but was still experiencing pain. The physician referred her to four physical therapy visits over a two-week period. All notes from the visit were immediately available in CareMC for Concierge Services to schedule the physical therapy appointments. The employee continued modified duty in accordance with the work restrictions, while she completed her course of treatment.

Conclusion

After completion of physical therapy, the employee demonstrated full range of motion and reported no pain in her lower back at her follow up telehealth visit. The employee was released to full duty with no restrictions, and no further treatment was needed.

In this case, the employee’s injury occurred at 6 pm when a trip to the emergency room or after-hours clinic would have likely occurred. Instead, with CorVel’s Advocacy 24/7 and Telehealth, the employee received the care she needed with personalized attention through her entire course of treatment.

Results

On demand, secure and cost efficient, telehealth delivers savings, while advocating immediate care for employees.