5.7 RTW case conferences
5.7.1 GP RTW activities | 5.7.2 Allied health practitioner RTW case conference | 5.7.3 Medical Specialist and Psychiatrist RTW case conference
The purpose of the RTW case conference (RTWCC) is to engage workers and their treating health practitioners in face to face discussion about timely return to work and recovery.
The RTW Case Conference:
- compensates a treating health practitioner for their role in facilitating return to work
- supports communication and engagement between the medical practitioner, worker, employer and Agent/OR Occupational Rehabilitation
- supports the employer obligation to consult and obtain RTW information from the certifying medical practitioner
- provides an avenue to clarify RTW goals by seeking information about the worker’s capacity to participate in suitable employment
RTW case conference services on pending claims
Agents may pay the reasonable costs of a Return To Work case conference before a decision about claim liability is made, if it has been determined that the services may facilitate the worker making an early return to work. RTWCC promote the worker's early return to work, in accordance with the Act.
Agent approval of RTWCC service before claim accepted
Employers may pay for Agent approved RTWCC services before a claim is accepted, and claim the payment as excess should liability be accepted. However, any cost above the excess may not be claimed as a claims cost unless approved by the Agent before the service was delivered.
RTWCC may be conducted with GPs, medical specialists, psychiatrists, physiotherapists, psychologists, chiropractors, osteopaths, exercise physiologists, occupational therapists (OT Occupational therapy is a client-centred health profession concerned with promoting health and well being through occupation. The primary goal of occupational therapy is to enable people to participate in the activities of everyday life. Occupational therapists achieve this outcome by working with people and communities to enhance their ability to engage in the occupations they want to, need to or are expected to do or by modifying the occupation or the environment to better support their occupational engagement .) (including hand therapists and mental health OTs Occupational therapists (OTs) help people of all ages to improve their ability to perform tasks in their daily living and working environments. They work with individuals who have conditions that are mentally, physically, developmentally, socially or emotionally disabling. They also help them to develop, recover or maintain daily living and work skills. Occupational therapists help clients not only to improve their basic motor functions and reasoning abilities but also to compensate for permanent loss of function. Occupational therapists assist clients in performing activities of all types, ranging from using a computer to caring for daily needs such as dressing, cooking and eating. Physical exercises may be used to increase strength and dexterity, while other activities may be chosen to improve visual acuity and the ability to discern patterns.), social workers, mental health nurses or podiatrists, which are to be invoiced per the fee schedule. The invoice for the RTWCC conducted during the pending phase of the claim should be paid after the claim liability decision has been recorded on ACCtion.
RTWCC service provision on rejected claim
Agents may approve the RTWCC while a claim is pending. The employer may pay for this service and report as part of their excess. If the claim is then rejected, the Agent may reimburse the employer or pay the cost of the service over the excess because it was approved before the claim was rejected. The invoice for a RTW case conference conducted during the pending phase of the claim should be paid after the claim liability decision has been recorded on ACCtion.