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| PTPN CompDirect Offers A New Solution for Workers' Compensation Crisis
Program Expedites Timely Return-to-Work for Patients While Controlling Costs and Utilization CALABASAS, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 4, 2003--In response to a nationwide workers' compensation crisis driven by spiraling medical costs, PTPN, the oldest and largest network of independent rehabilitation therapists in the United States, announced today the launch of PTPN CompDirect, a program designed to achieve better outcomes for injured patients while controlling costs through more efficient use of services. BizVantage – All the Net, all the time, just for you. "Across the nation, state legislatures are seeking regulatory solutions for the workers' compensation crisis; however, changing the way medical care is delivered and making healthcare providers more accountable can bring real relief on the cost front and improve the quality of care workers receive," said PTPN President & CEO Michael Weinper, MPH, PT. Nationally, workers' compensation premiums have increased more than 50% in the last three years, according to the Insurance Information Institute, with the greatest increases in California and Florida. Higher premiums, fueled primarily by increases in medical costs, are creating financial burdens for businesses already under pressure from an economic downturn. Weinper noted that while state-mandated fee schedules set prices for most types of medical services, there is no control over utilization of care. Many providers just deliver more visits to drive up revenues, and there is no certainty that the providers have expertise in treating workers' compensation patients. "PTPN CompDirect addresses both these problems, and incentivizes everyone involved to deliver good care cost-effectively," he observed. By enrolling only rehabilitation practitioners in independent practice, PTPN has no conflicts of interest in ownership that can drive up utilization or reduce the quality of patient care. Studies in the Journal of the American Medical Association and the New England Journal of Medicine have shown that utilization and charges per patient are higher when physical therapy clinics are owned by referring physicians than when physical therapy clinics are owned by independent rehabilitation practitioners. Workers' compensation carriers who contract with PTPN CompDirect can offer patients convenient access to a local, regional or national network of providers through one contract with negotiated rates. PTPN CompDirect directs injured patients to highly qualified therapists at the start of their treatment, and makes sure that experienced peer review case managers oversee the delivery of that care. Payors receive timely communication about the progress of these patients. There is no middleman, so the process is less expensive, more efficient, and more effective in getting workers well and back on the job. With over 10 years of experience in case management and capitation and one-third of its business volume in managed workers' compensation, PTPN is uniquely qualified in the management and treatment of workers' compensation patients. It is the only network with an ongoing quality assurance program that regularly audits providers and measures patient satisfaction. In an independent outcomes management program, PTPN members delivered 62% more functional improvement for each dollar spent than the national average, while delivering 97.9% "very satisfied" ratings from patients. PTPN members are further qualified by being required to pass the strictest credentialing standards in the industry, exceeding those the National Commission for Quality Assurance (NCQA) require for physicians in managed care plans, and often those required by state licensing, Medicare and community standards. About PTPN PTPN is the oldest and largest specialty network of therapists in independent practice. It has led the rehabilitation industry in pioneering national contracting, capitation, and quality assurance programs since 1985. The network has more than 1,000 provider offices (including physical, occupational and speech therapists) in 23 states. PTPN contracts with most of the major managed care organizations in the nation including insurers, workers' compensation companies, PPOs, HMOs, medical groups, and IPAs. Only offices that are owned and operated by rehabilitation therapists can be members of the network. For more information about PTPN CompDirect, call Nancy Rothenberg at 818-737-0225 or visit PTPN on the Internet at: www.PTPN.com.
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