System options – pros and cons

This is the most common form of injury reporting in use. The verbal report to supervisor meets with variable responses. The supervisor may:

Pros: This approach directly involves the two key players in RTW management – the employee and their immediate supervisor.

Cons: How well this system works is dependent on the supervisor’s level of training and experience.

Pros: Electronic reporting is efficient in terms of rapid dissemination of information.
 
Cons: Ease of access is a problem for those not working with the internet on a regular basis. Information may not be read or acted upon for some period, depending on the organisation’s systems.

The employee may report the problem but not know who will deal with it or how it will be deal with. This disenfranchises the employee.

Pros: Completing paperwork is an inexpensive method of injury reporting.
 
Cons: Forms may be incomplete. The quality of information provided may be limited. The system is inefficient in terms of sending reports to other departments and sharing information.

Pros: Faxed reports are more rapidly received than paperwork through internal mail or post. Systems can be setup to share faxed information rapidly to speed up communication with stakeholders.
 
Cons: The system is impersonal. Faxes go missing.

Once the supervisor receives a verbal report of injury they notify other staff who coordinate the process. This common approach has variable systems in place, such as an email, faxed report, written incident report, and variable timing of handover of reporting information.

Pros: This approach allows for the immediate reporting of injuries.
Verbal reporting requires personal contact and means that issues can be dealt with as they occur.
When this process is well coordinated it can result in early appropriate action.
 
Cons: If no one is responsible for overseeing the entire reporting process, transparency and accountability may be compromised.
The effectiveness of this approach is dependent on levels of supervisor skill and responsiveness.

This approach provides an experienced case manager to take an initial injury report over the phone, directly from the employee or the employee’s supervisor. The case manager completes relevant paperwork during the call and addresses the initial issues of treatment and work duties.

Pros: Supervisors and employees do not have to fill in forms, which makes the system easier to use.
 
The quality of information requested by the case manager provides the claims management team with superior information about the incident. Input from the supervisor about the issues, and an understanding of the employee’s concerns helps drive early appropriate action.
 
Cons: Although this system has good outcomes, cost can be prohibitive. Small organisations will probably be unable to afford a dedicated telephone service.

The table below summarises the pros and cons of each system.

Pros and cons of reporting systems (modified from Day of Injury study^)

*dependant on training and competence of supervisor

A dedicated telephone reporting system is thus the best system for ‘covering all bases.’