Comparing Outcomes for Injured Workers, 2017 Interviews

By Bogdan Savych, Vennela Thumula

November 28, 2018 Related Topics: Access to Care, Worker Outcomes

Three new state reports compare outcomes of injured workers in Minnesota, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee with outcomes in 12 other states. The outcomes examined include the following:

  • Recovery of physical health and functioning
  • Return to work
  • Earnings recovery
  • Access to medical care
  • Satisfaction with medical care

The studies reflect a multiyear effort by WCRI to collect and examine data on the outcomes of medical care achieved by injured workers in a growing number of states. By examining outcomes of injured workers, policymakers and other stakeholders can better understand how different state workers' compensation systems compare in order to identify and prioritize opportunities to improve system performance.

Interviews were conducted in Minnesota, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee in 2017. Interviews for all other states (Arkansas, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Michigan, North Carolina, Virginia, and Wisconsin) were conducted from 2013 to 2016.

Comparing Outcomes for Injured Workers, 2017 Interviews. Bogdan Savych and Vennela Thumula. November 2018. WC-18-44 to 46.

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Research Questions:

  • How do outcomes reported by injured workers compare across states?
  • What percentage of injured workers were able to go back to work and stay employed after initial return to work?
  • How did recovery of physical health and functioning vary across study states?
  • What percentage of injured workers were satisfied with their overall medical care?
  • What percentage of injured workers reported “big problems” getting desired medical care?

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