Benefits of Remote Triage Medical Assistants in Healthcare  

Based on the data reported by private industry employers, the number of recordable cases of nonfatal ailments and injuries was close to 2.6 million in the United States in 2023. 

You may already know that occupational injuries are more likely in heavy industries like manufacturing, mining, construction, etc. This is why you need to understand the nuances of triage medical assistant remote services and how availing them can help you control your costs, improve Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) compliance, ensure business continuity, and enhance profitability.  

Since factories and worksites in any heavy industry are usually far from the city or urban hotspots, remote medical attention can promptly help an injured worker and minimize your stress as an employer. 

Let’s explore what triage medical assistants do, their benefits in healthcare, and why doctor triage is the best option for you.  

Role of Remote Triage Medical Assistants  

Here’s what happens when one of your employees is injured or falls ill at your factory or worksite, and the supervisor connects with a triage medical assistant via a telephone or video call:

• The assistant jots down the patient’s name, demographic details, work profile, shift, injury type, symptoms, and medical history. 
• They also typically assess the patient’s tone and voice to detect any abnormality in speech or breathing problems. Triage assistants ask additional questions if necessary to get a holistic picture of the patient’s condition and determine how severe and urgent their case is.
• Triage assistants also help calm patients while addressing any questions and concerns they may have.
• Remote triage medical assistants document the conversation carefully and from end-to-end before sharing it with a licensed physician. In some cases, they might be trained to offer first aid advice to handle minor injuries like cuts, burns, sprains, and strains. If the assistant feels the injury is major, they might refer the patient to the emergency room (ER) and coordinate with the clinic or hospital for care continuity. 
• Once the doctor reviews the information conveyed by the assistant, they suggest the best possible treatment plan and prescribe medications. The triage assistant then passes this information on to the patient and explains everything in detail. 
• A triage medical assistant remotely follows up on the patient’s recovery and keeps the doctor updated. If the physician suggests any changes in the treatment plan, the assistant conveys them to the patient and continues to follow up until recovery. 

Benefits of Remote Triage Medical Assistants in Healthcare 

There are multiple advantages of availing the service of a triage medical assistant remotely: 

1. Prompt Medical Attention: Triage assistants help determine whether an injured worker can be treated onsite or needs an ER visit. Their first aid advice often helps handle minor injuries easily and prevent escalation. The worker also feels cared for and relieved.  
2. Lower Cost: Since triage assistants help handle many injuries without an expensive ER visit, you can keep your healthcare costs low. Plus, you can save on workers’ compensation costs, as there are fewer claims. This translates to a stronger bottom line for your organization. 
3. Minimal Business Interruption: A triage medical assistant remotely helps in the speedy and efficient recovery of injured employees. This reduces the need for extended leaves and lowers your Days Away, Restricted, or Transferred (DART) rate. Employees resume work at the earliest and you carry on as usual with minimal downtime. Moreover, when employees are satisfied with your healthcare provisions, they feel more engaged and put in more effort in the future. You retain them easily and save on new hiring costs.  
4. Better Compliance with OSHA Regulations: Keeping recordable incidents low is essential to avoid being penalized by OSHA and losing your credibility as an employer with a safe work environment. Triage assistants help minimize unnecessary ER visits, thereby reducing recordables.
5. Maintaining your reputation as an employer who cares about worker safety can also help you attract the best talent in the industry.  

Benefit More with Doctor Triage Services

While a remote triage medical assistant helps you handle injury situations without rushing to the ER for every little thing, they cannot prescribe medicines or suggest appropriate treatment plans. Such assistants instead act as a convenient connection between patients and doctors. 

However, when you opt for doctor triage services, you can connect an injured employee directly with a certified MD with extensive occupational hazard experience. The response time is also significantly reduced. 

Licensed physicians assess the patient’s condition directly, share their diagnosis, chalk out a personalized line of treatment, and prescribe medications if required. They are knowledgeable and trained enough to handle complex injuries and answer specific questions, unlike medical assistants. Such doctors also monitor patient progress directly and tweak the treatment if necessary. 

As a result, patient outcomes are significantly better with doctor triage.   

Conclusion 

Triage medical assistants can address workplace injuries promptly and recommend the subsequent action plan, whether it involves first aid treatment or an ER visit. They can help you reduce healthcare costs, comply with OSHA, keep the business operational, and ensure employee satisfaction and productivity. However, triage doctors can go the extra mile as they have the knowledge, expertise, training, and license to diagnose, prescribe medicines, and suggest the best possible treatments.   

Hence, regardless of the heavy industry you operate in, doctor triage services are essential for multiple reasons. They help create a safer work environment and prevent future emergencies. 

Avail Doctor-Led Remote Triage Services from WorkPartners 

At WorkPartners, we understand the importance of addressing workplace injuries promptly and correctly for your employee productivity, business continuity, financial health, and reputation. We work beyond the typical triage medical assistant remote crew and instead offer a team of highly qualified, experienced, and certified doctors to help you and promote better compliance with OSHA regulations. Our safety consultation services are also designed to make your work environment safer and more productive. 

If you are keen on learning more, contact us today. For injury intervention, we can be reached at (800) 359-5020. For any other query or concern, call us at (651) 323-8654. You can also email us at info@workpartnersusa.com.