@article{ref1,
title="An evidence-based care model for workers with concussion",
journal="Journal of head trauma rehabilitation",
year="2019",
author="Thompson, Aaron and Chechulin, Yuriy and Bain, Donna and Bayley, Mark",
volume="ePub",
number="ePub",
pages="ePub-ePub",
abstract="OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of an evidence-based assessment program for people with workers' compensation claims for concussion on healthcare utilization and duration of lost time from work. SETTING: An assessment program for people with a work-related concussion was introduced to provide physician assessment focused on education and appropriate triage. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 3865 people with accepted workers' compensation claims for concussion with dates of injury between January 1, 2014, and February 28, 2017. <br><br>DESIGN: A quasiexperimental pre-/poststudy of healthcare utilization (measured by healthcare costs) and duration of time off work (measured by loss of earnings benefits) in a cohort of people with workers' compensation claims for concussion in the period prior to and following introduction of a new assessment program. Administrative data were retrospectively analyzed to compare outcomes in patients from the preassessment program implementation period to those in the postimplementation period. <br><br>RESULTS: The assessment program resulted in reduced healthcare utilization reflected by a 14.4% (95% confidence interval, -28.7% to -0.8%) decrease in healthcare costs. The greatest decrease in healthcare costs was for assessment services (-27.9%) followed by diagnostic services (-25.7%). There was no significant difference in time off work as measured by loss-of-earnings benefits. <br><br>CONCLUSION: A care model for people with a work-related concussion involving an evidence-based assessment by a single physician focused on patient education resulted in significantly decreased healthcare utilization without increasing duration of time off work.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0885-9701",
doi="10.1097/HTR.0000000000000466",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/HTR.0000000000000466"
}