Harbor Health Systems, a One Call Care Management company, announced that it is one of the first companies to receive approval from the California Department of Workers’ Compensation to offer telemedicine through its medical provider networks (MPNs).

“This approval is a positive step forward in improving access to high quality care for injured workers,” said Linda Lane, president of Harbor Health Systems.

“We can now offer the capability to patients and to payers to search the Harborsys MPN provider directory and find high performing physicians who offer telemedicine, or to be directed to these physicians by our Medical Access Assistant staff. The telemedicine capability and the ability to find physicians who offer this service is especially important in rural areas, as well as to make care immediately accessible twenty-four hours a day, 365 days a year.”

Through the video teleconferencing capabilities enabled by Harbor’s telemedicine partners, injured workers gain immediate access to treatment, eliminating unnecessary costs and delays.

For the employer, using telemedicine results in less downtime and reduces transportation costs. Injured employees who find it difficult to travel to the doctor’s office can now obtain qualified consultations from their home or worksite, keeping the treatment plan on track and moving forward. Improved patient engagement and access to expedited and efficient care reduces the risk of legal actions that drive up claim costs.

Harbor’s MPN networks cover approximately 2 million employees in the state of California and Harbor plans to roll out the new telemedicine product across its book of business. GENEX and Arissa Cost Strategies are two Harbor clients already reaping the rewards of the new offering.

“Telemedicine capabilities are important to our ability to provide superior management of care for workers’ compensation injuries,” noted Kathleen Torres, President of Arissa Cost Strategies. “With telemedicine, the injured employee receives immediate response, leading to immediate care, which expedites care and resolution for their injury.”

“Paired with case management, telemedicine allows for early intervention and a stronger interdisciplinary care approach,” said Ron Skrocki, senior vice president, product management and development at Genex Services. “This leads to better communication and adherence to the treatment plan, and improved patient compliance, which results in a safe and efficient return for the injured worker.”