The state Department of Industrial Relations is updating its management system for how a doctor first reports an injury under workers' comp.
The updated system will be an electronic system that meets all the requirements of Senate Bill 1160, Workers’ Compensation. The new system was spurred on by the legislation, which is meant to minimize medical costs and streamline reviews of injuries and treatments. It may also help in anti-fraud efforts that were highlighted in the department's March 2018 anti-fraud update.
The department plans to build the "reporting mechanism" in-house, but has begun reaching out to stakeholders in an effort to outline best practices, according to department spokesman Peter Melton.
Planning began in 2016, soon after SB 1160 was passed; there is no timeline for completion yet.
"In short, the project is still in the planning stages, and many decisions have not yet been made," Melton told Techwire.
