Employability Assessment in Australian Total and Permanent Disability Insurance Claims: A Survey of Claims Professionals’ Views

2019 ◽  
Vol 14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Margaret Black ◽  
Lynda R. Matthews ◽  
Michael J. Millington
Keyword(s):  
Online Survey ◽  
Disability Insurance ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Insurance Claims ◽  
Permanent Disability ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Transferable Skills ◽  
Job Match ◽  
Time Estimates ◽  
Report Quality

Abstract Employability assessment was developed to help claims professionals decide total and permanent disability insurance claims, yet it has not been empirically evaluated. This descriptive study sought formative knowledge about employability assessment from claims professionals working in the multibillion-dollar Australian life insurance total and permanent disability market. Claims assessors (n = 53) and technical advisors (n = 51) responded to a nationwide online survey. Participants found employability assessment was cost effective and very useful in deciding claims. Having an objective, realistic, and clear picture of a claimant’s employment prospects was important. Highly rated components of employability assessment included transferable skills analysis; summary of education, training and experience; job match rationale; and labour market analysis with employer contact. Face-to-face claimant interviews were favoured by 56% of participants, particularly when there was legal involvement. Standardised provider training and certification were recommended to improve report quality and withstand scrutiny of the courts. Billing time estimates are higher than extant costs for assessment tasks. More than half (56%) the participants considered rehabilitation counsellors were best qualified to conduct employability assessments. The study findings contribute new knowledge to this emergent field and point to further research into quality and cost of employability assessment, and provider accreditation.

scholarly journals Employer demands from business graduates

2016 ◽  
Vol 58 (1) ◽  
pp. 112-132 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen McMurray ◽  
Matthew Dutton ◽  
Ronald McQuaid ◽  
Alec Richard
Keyword(s):  
Work Experience ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Management Skills ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Business Courses ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Transferable Skills ◽  
Personal Attitude ◽  
Business Graduates ◽  
Information Sets

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to report on research carried out with employers to determine demand for business and management skills in the Scottish workforce. Design/methodology/approach – The research used a questionnaire in which employers were interviewed (either telephone or face to face), completed themselves and returned by e-mail, or completed an online survey. In total, 71 employers took part in the study. Findings – The research found that the factors which are most important to employers when recruiting graduates were; personal attitude, employability skills, relevant work experience and degree result. The most important transferable skills to employers when recruiting graduates were; trustworthiness, reliability, motivation, communication skills and a willingness to learn. Social implications – The paper shows the importance of graduates developing excellent job searching skills, high-quality work experience and developing business courses to enhance students’ employability and better meet employers’ wants. Originality/value – The paper is timely given the introduction of Key Information Sets. The provision of such information will drive HEI to further develop students’ employability to obtain graduate-level jobs.

Issues facing employability assessment in total and permanent disability insurance claims: A rehabilitation perspective

Work ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 64 (3) ◽  
pp. 569-577
Author(s):  
Margaret E. Black ◽  
Lynda R. Matthews ◽  
Michael J. Millington
Keyword(s):  
Disability Insurance ◽  
Insurance Claims ◽  
Permanent Disability

Extended Routine Follow-up of Primary Uncomplicated Hip and Knee Arthroplasty is not Necessary

2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 266-271
Author(s):  
Georgina Kakra Wartemberg ◽  
Thomas Goff ◽  
Simon Jones ◽  
James Newman
Keyword(s):  
Aseptic Loosening ◽  
Revision Surgery ◽  
Revision Arthroplasty ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Primary Surgery ◽  
Effective System ◽  
Knee Revision Surgery ◽  
Knee Revision

Aims: To create a more effective system to identify patients in need of revision surgery. Background: There are over 160,000 total hip and knee replacements performed per year in England and Wales. Currently, most trusts review patients for up to 10 years or more. When we consider the cost of prolonged reviews, we cannot justify the expenditure within a limited budget. Study Design & Methods: We reviewed all patients' notes that underwent primary hip and knee revision surgery at our institution, noting age, gender, symptoms at presentation, referral source, details of the surgery, reason for revision and follow up history from primary surgery. Results: There were 145 revision arthroplasties (60 THR and 85 TKR) that met our inclusion criteria. Within the hip arthroplasty group, indications for revision included aseptic loosening (37), dislocation (10), and infection (3), periprosthetic fracture, acetabular liner wear and implant failure. All thirty-seven patients with aseptic loosening presented with pain. Twenty-five were referred from general practice with new symptoms. The remaining were clinic follow-ups. The most common reason for knee revision was aseptic loosening (37), followed by infection (21) and then progressive osteoarthritis (8). Most were referred from GP as a new referral or were clinic follow-ups. All patients were symptomatic. Conclusion: All the patients that underwent revision arthroplasty were symptomatic. Rather than yearly follow up, we recommend a cost-effective system. We are implementing a 'non face-to-face' system. Patients would be directly sent a questionnaire and x-ray form. The radiographs and forms will be reviewed by an experienced arthroplasty surgeon. The concerning cases will be seen urgently in a face-to-face clinic.

scholarly journals Implementation of podiatry telephone appointments for people with rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
J. L. Palmer ◽  
H. J. Siddle ◽  
A. C. Redmond ◽  
B. Alcacer-Pitarch
Keyword(s):  
Musculoskeletal Diseases ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Time Frame ◽  
Teaching Hospitals ◽  
Potential Cost ◽  
Foot Health ◽  
Telephone Consultation ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Initial Intervention

Abstract Background Foot health problems are common in the general population, and particularly so in people with rheumatic and musculoskeletal disorders (RMD). Several clinical guidelines state that people with RMDs should have access to foot health services, although service capacity is often limited. The current COVID-19 pandemic has increased the need for alternative ways to provide patient care. The aim of this clinical audit was to review a newly implemented telephone follow-up appointment service conducted within the Rheumatology Podiatry Department in Leeds, UK. Methods Fifty-eight patients attending the Rheumatology Podiatry Department at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust were contacted by telephone approximately 6–8 weeks following initial intervention. During the telephone consultation, all patients were asked pre-defined questions relating to their symptoms, intervention efficacy, the need for further appointments and their preference for the type of consultation. To assess the cost of the telephone consultation the number of attempts needed in order to make successful contact, the duration of the call and the number of telephone follow-up appointments completed in a working day were also recorded. Results Twenty-five patients (43%) were successfully contacted within the 6–8 weeks stipulated time frame and were included in the analysis. Of the 25 contacted, twelve (48%) patients were successfully contacted on the first attempt. Ten (40%) were successfully contacted on the second attempt. The remaining three patients (12%) required 3 or more attempts to make successful contact. Telephone consultations were estimated not to last longer than 10 min, including notes screening and documentation. Eleven patients (44%) reported an improvement in their symptoms, thirteen (52%) reported no change and one patient (4%) reported their symptoms to be worse. Conclusion Telephone follow-up consultations may be a potentially cost-effective alternative to face-to-face appointments when implemented in a Rheumatology Podiatry Department, and provide an alternative way of providing care, especially when capacity for face-to-face contact is limited. The potential cost saving and efficiency benefits of this service are likely to be enhanced when telephone consultations are pre-arranged with patients.

scholarly journals A Better Learning Community: Mixed-Methods Reveal Medical Student Preferences with Implications for Learning Community Design and Implementation

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
pp. 238212052110148
Author(s):  
Jasna Vuk ◽  
Steven McKee ◽  
Sara Tariq ◽  
Priya Mendiratta
Keyword(s):  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Learning Community ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Free Form ◽  
University Of Arkansas ◽  
Medical Sciences ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Personal Support ◽  
School Learning ◽  
The University

Background: Medical school learning communities benefit students. The College of Medicine (COM) at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) provides medical students with academic, professional, and personal support through a learning community (LC) made of 7 academic houses. Objectives: To evaluate the effectiveness of the academic house model at UAMS utilizing a mixed-methods survey. The aims were to: (1) assess student experience and satisfaction with academic houses, (2) describe the realms of advising and guidance, and (3) identify areas for improvement. Method: An online survey was assigned to 723 COM students (all students enrolled, first through fourth years) at UAMS in March 2019. The survey was comprised of 25 items (10 multiple-choice, 8 on the Likert scale, and 7 open-ended questions). Data was depicted using frequency and percentages and/or thematic review of free-form responses. Results: The survey response rate was 31% (227 students). The majority of students responding (132, 58.1%) attended 2 or more face-to-face meetings with the faculty advisor within the preceding year. However, 27 (11.9%) students did not have any meetings. Approximately two-thirds of the respondents were satisfied or very satisfied with the guidance and direction provided by their advisors [very satisfied (n = 83; 36.6%); satisfied (n = 77; 33.9%)]. Themes that emerged from student generated areas for improvement include time constraints, advisor/advisee interest mismatch, and perceived inadequacy of advising content/connections. Conclusions: This study confirms the effectiveness of the LC model for advising and mentoring in the COM at UAMS. Uniquely, this study identifies not only learners’ satisfaction with their LC but also highlights areas for improvement which are widely generalizable and important to consider for institutions with or planning to start an LC.

scholarly journals Are telephone consultations here to stay in rheumatology?

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sabrina R Raizada ◽  
Natasha Cleaton ◽  
James Bateman ◽  
Diarmuid M Mulherin ◽  
Nick Barkham
Keyword(s):  
Older Patients ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Vulnerable Groups ◽  
Age Group ◽  
Telephone Consultation ◽  
Survey Tool ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Vulnerable Patients ◽  
Number Of Patients

Abstract Objectives During the COVID-19 pandemic, face-to-face rheumatology follow-up appointments were mostly replaced with telephone or virtual consultations in order to protect vulnerable patients. We aimed to investigate the perspectives of rheumatology patients on the use of telephone consultations compared with the traditional face-to-face consultation. Methods We carried out a retrospective survey of all rheumatology follow-up patients at the Royal Wolverhampton Trust who had received a telephone consultation from a rheumatology consultant during a 4-week period via an online survey tool. Results Surveys were distributed to 1213 patients, of whom 336 (27.7%) responded, and 306 (91.1%) patients completed all components of the survey. Overall, an equal number of patients would prefer telephone clinics or face-to-face consultations for their next routine appointment. When divided by age group, the majority who preferred the telephone clinics were <50 years old [χ2 (d.f. = 3) = 10.075, P = 0.018]. Prevalence of a smartphone was higher among younger patients (<50 years old: 46 of 47, 97.9%) than among older patients (≥50 years old: 209 of 259, 80.7%) [χ2 (d.f. = 3) = 20.919, P < 0.001]. More patients reported that they would prefer a telephone call for urgent advice (168, 54.9%). Conclusion Most patients interviewed were happy with their routine face-to-face appointment being switched to a telephone consultation. Of those interviewed, patients >50 years old were less likely than their younger counterparts to want telephone consultations in place of face-to-face appointments. Most patients in our study would prefer a telephone consultation for urgent advice. We must ensure that older patients and those in vulnerable groups who value in-person contact are not excluded. Telephone clinics in some form are here to stay in rheumatology for the foreseeable future.

scholarly journals Prevalence of Wheat/Gluten-Related Disorders and Gluten-Free Diet in Paraguay: An Online Survey-Based Study

Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 396
Author(s):  
Noé Ontiveros ◽  
Raúl Emilio Real-Delor ◽  
José Antonio Mora-Melgem ◽  
Carlos Eduardo Beltrán-Cárdenas ◽  
Oscar Gerardo Figueroa-Salcido ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Latin American ◽  
Weight Control ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Adult Population ◽  
Wheat Gluten ◽  
Gluten Free Diet ◽  
Gluten Free ◽  
Questionnaire Response ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Validated Questionnaire

Gluten-related disorders (GRDs) are increasing around the world, but their magnitude and relevance remain unknown in most Latin American countries. Thus, an online survey was conducted to estimate the prevalence of GRDs as well as adherence to a gluten-free diet (GFD) in Paraguayan adult population. There were 1058 individuals surveyed using a validated questionnaire (response rate of 93.9%). The self-reported prevalence rates were as follows (95% CI): gluten sensitivity (GS), 10.30% (8.53–12.29); non-celiac GS (NCGS), 5.19% (3.94–6.71); physician-diagnosed celiac disease (PD-CD), 3.11% (2.15–4.35); wheat allergy (WA), 2.07% (1.30–3.13); and adherence to GFD, 15.69% (13.55–18.02). Excluding CD, more women than men met the criteria for GRDs, adverse food reactions, and GFD (p < 0.05). Eight respondents reported the coexistence of NCGS with PD-CD and/or WA. Most cases on a GFD indicated medical/dietitian advice for following the diet (68.07%). Non-self-reported GS individuals indicated weight control (46.4%) and the notion that the GFD is healthier (20.2%) as the main motivations for following the diet. GRDs are not uncommon in Paraguayan adult population. It seems that there is awareness about GRDs and the GFD, but training about the diagnosis of GRDs is desirable because of the informed overlapping diagnoses of CD or WA with NCGS. Future studies involving face-to-face interviews are necessary.

Abstract NS1: Creating partnerships through the Kansas Initiative for Stroke Survival (KISS)

Stroke ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 44 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Janice Sandt ◽  
Sarah E Brown ◽  
Colleen Lechtenberg ◽  
Cherie Boxberger
Keyword(s):  
Transfer Rate ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Community Education ◽  
Task Force ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
The State ◽  
Treatment Rate ◽  
Stroke Treatment ◽  
Feasible Alternative

Background and Purpose: Kansas is a rural state lacking geographically distributed Primary Stroke Centers. Of the 128 hospitals in the state, 88 are designated as Critical Access (< 25 beds). The IV r-tPA treatment rate in the state of Kansas is less than 2%. The pre-transport death rate for patients experiencing stroke is 55.4% .The Kansas Initiative for Stroke Survival (KISS) is a non-government task force with the goal of improving stroke survival among Kansans. The task force encourages hospitals to meet the criteria as Emergent Stroke Ready and based on this status engage with their individual communities, emphasizing the need to seek immediate assistance by EMS and arrive at the closest Emergent Stroke Ready hospital. Methods: The Kansas State Stroke Task force determined requirements for a facility to be considered Emergent Stroke Ready. This information was distributed to all acute care hospitals, asking them to attest to their current Emergent Stroke Ready status. Responding facilities were provided access to a 24 x 7 Stroke Support Line - providing access to stroke specialists for the purpose of guiding evaluation and treatment decisions for r-tPA administration or need to transfer to a higher level of care. Also provided is a community education kit. Data is reported through a monthly online survey or GWTG database. Results: In the first phase of the KISS project - forty-two hospitals attested as Emergent Stroke Ready Hospital or were certified Primary Stroke Centers representing an increase from 7% to 33% of hospitals in the state. The post-KISS implementation IV r-tPA treatment rate for the reporting Emergent Stroke Ready Hospitals was 48% compared with a pre-KISS treatment rate of 6%. The post-KISS implementation transfer rate was 26.7% compared with a pre-KISS transfer rate of 18%. Conclusions: The KISS program resulted in a significant increase in the number of Emergent Stroke Ready facilities, stroke patients reporting to their local hospitals, stroke specialist consultations and use of IV r-tPA. A low-cost, statewide program that provides standardized protocols and direct phone consultation can improve access to stroke specialists and approved stroke treatment while offering a cost effective, feasible alternative to telestroke.

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