San Jose, CA – National workers’ compensation managed care company EK Health Services, Inc. recently announced that it has added Prescription Intervention program to its suite of managed care services.
The goal of the Prescription Intervention program is to ensure that medications prescribed to treat an injured worker are appropriate, as well as necessary, to help restore the injured worker’s health and productivity.
“Our new Prescription Intervention program delivers on our mission to restore quality of life for injured workers, while also potentially decreasing medical spend for employers,” said Sherry Busbee, EK Health’s Assistant Vice President of Case Management Services.
EK Health developed its Prescription Intervention program to address the medication component that is a key issue in rising medical costs.
“It is clear that medical cost is the most expensive part of a workers’ compensation claim,” said Dr. Douglas Benner, EK Health’s Chief Medical Officer. “Prescription drugs continue to be a significant cost driver as we continue to face issues with physician-dispensed medications and the abuse of opioids.”
As part of the Prescription Intervention program, EK Health physicians evaluate the medications prescribed on a case based on medical necessity per evidence-based medicine guidelines and clinical best practices.
Physicians complete a thorough analysis of the injured worker’s prescribed medications and pharmacy history, and then provide a detailed report stating key recommendations to improve the injured worker’s medication regimen. A conversation then takes place between the EK physician and the treating physician to discuss recommendations. Additionally, an EK nurse will follow up with treating physicians’ offices and clients for the next 90 days to assess compliance with agreements made by the physicians.
The true value of EK Health’s Prescription Intervention program resides in the numerous benefits that can be realized. Positive outcomes can include improvement in employee health outcomes and productivity, increased probability for return-to-work, as well as a clearer plan for ongoing management of medications.
Furthermore, the Prescription Intervention program can reduce the potential for addiction issues associated with opioids, as well as achieving an overall reduction in medication spend on prescription drugs and decreased indemnity costs.
Source: EK Health/Estes&Co