Workers’ comp is always looking for ways to reduce costs, and there are interesting new technologies that could greatly reduce spend but won’t take away from the level of care the injured worker gets.

The idea of a “health portal” or some other kind of online program that lets patients connect with doctors online is something that has been brewing for a little while. It could have a great application in the workers’ comp space and cut costs related to office visits.

This technology would obviously not be great for life threatening or serious injuries and illnesses, but something that can be treated at the worksite by the worker or supervisor (apply ice, splint the finger, etc.) can be handled over the internet rather than paying high costs to see a doctor. Instead of waiting for a doctor’s appointment the incident can be addressed immediately, sometimes without the doctor ever having to leave their office. This also benefits workers who then don’t need to leave their workplace- think about rural farmers or other job sites that may be quite a ways from the closest doctor.

The apps let patients enter details of their injury or their illness, and a doctor, who has access to their past medical history, can make recommendations on how to treat at-home. They can evaluate the patient through messages or pictures, and if they think that a doctor’s visit is necessary they can recommend that too. Some apps also set patients up with doctors who have equipment to make house-calls (or work-calls) and can treat minor cuts or things that may require stitches or other small medical services.

From what I have seen, the apps or services are all HIPAA compliant and doctor-patient confidentiality is still strongly enforced. Since it is online, there is a record of everything that takes place between the doctor and the patient so it can help mitigate fraud if a patient later tries to change the story of what injuries occurred and how bad they were.

Now this technology, some are calling it telemedicine, is in the early stages and there are still questions to be worked out before it can really take off in workers’ comp. Who is liable in case the doctor’s online treatment recommendation is not enough, or doesn’t work? Can co-workers be trusted to administer treatment if they need to? Will it really save that much money- if there is an added cost to update to this new technology? Will workers feel that this is not enough, that this is a pretty impersonal way of treating their injuries, and become frustrated?

It may not be for everyone or for every situation, but it seems like something the industry could look into.