If you missed it, check out part 1 of this post here
In Part 1 of this blog series, we discussed several strategies by which chiropractors, physical therapists, pain management doctors and others in the medical field can support patients who might need to make an injury claim. Part 2 will explore five more strategic tips along those lines.
- Schedule Regular Follow-Up Appointments
Follow-up appointments show your patient’s progress throughout the recovery period. If appropriate and helpful in proving your client’s case, you can take photos of the injury’s progress during this time.
- Encourage Your Patient to Take Proactive Measures
A patient can further substantiate his or her medical claim by keeping a diary, so encourage your patient to journal each day. Suggest that he or she document all aspects of his or her health condition, including mental suffering, sleeplessness, stress, confusion and pain.
- Refer the Patient to a Specialist, If Needed
Simply the fact that you refer your patient to a specialist can show how seriously you view his or her injuries.
- Recognize the Signs of Pain Killer Addiction
As a medical professional, you want to treat your patients’ needs, especially when they are in pain. When you prescribe pain medications, look for signs of a dependency, and address it promptly. For instance:
- Your patient runs out of medication before the prescription expires.
- Your patient has used the medication for much longer than would be considered normal.
- Your patient’s personality seems to have changed for the worse.
- You notice a change in appearance, a drop in weight, excessive sleeping or general neglect of responsibilities.
- Develop a Relationship with a Personal Injury Attorney You Trust
An effective lawyer can help your patient avoid gaps in coverage, which can obviously have big health ramifications and can also make his or her case more challenging for your medical team to handle. An attorney can also goad patients into following your instructions and showing up to appointments prepared and on time. Finally, the attorney can compel the insurance company to pay completely and on time, thus relieving you and your office of cash flow concerns and also giving your patients the support they need to heal properly. (Conversely, imagine the costs and frustrations when a patient who hasn’t healed rushes back to work, because she needs the money, or reinjures herself doing household chores, because she can’t afford to hire out the manual labor.)
Our experienced Arizona personal injury lawyers can help you help your patients and make sure insurance companies provide fair and prompt compensation. Call us now at (602) 283-4122 for actionable insights.
