Return-to-Work

BWC Offers DoDM Method for Evaluating Disability Management Effectiveness

The Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation (BWC) is using a new Degree of Disability Management (DoDM) scale to evaluate how well employers and MCOs are doing in preventing and managing disability and facilitating return-to-work. For the state to consider a return-to-work successful, the worker must have no re-injury for at least 90 days.

The DoDM system was invented by Milliman & Robertson, a Seattle-based health care management consulting firm, which also publishes the widely respected Healthcare Management Guidelines for work-related injuries and other health care specialties. DoDM and the Guidelines identify optimal return-to-work targets (benchmarks) for numerous occupational injuries.

For each type of injury and for activity levels ranging from light to heavy, the guidelines identify the range of expected days off before RTW and the benchmark. For example, for localized low back pain, an employee would be expected to miss between zero and 42 days of work depending on his or her activity level. For low-activity jobs, the benchmark is one day; seven days for medium activity; and 28 days for unlimited activity.

DoDM can be used to measure how well individual employees, employers and MCOs are doing relative to the industry benchmarks and optimal performance. For DoDM to be managed effectively, employers need to offer transitional work opportunities for recovering employees. Otherwise, Milliman & Robertson said, lost time may exceed DoDM ranges and benchmarks.