High-Tech Solutions Bring Quality and Clarity to Home and Vehicle Modifications

WorkCompWire
Full article on: workcompwire.com

Jennifer Brockman, Vice President, Care at Home Services
Laurie Hilfiker, Vice President, Operations, Care at Home Services

Home and vehicle modifications are a vital, yet often under-recognized, part of the workers’ compensation system. Projects as simple as a ramp installation or as complex as a total home modification enable injured workers to regain much-needed functionality and quality of life in the wake of life-changing events. By ensuring a positive patient experience and a safe transition from hospital to home, home and vehicle modifications can be essential to recovery.

A successful home modification project can mean the difference between the familiarity and comfort of home, versus remaining in an unfamiliar facility. The addition of a downstairs bathroom or bedroom is an enormous benefit for someone with limitations climbing stairs. And for so many, retrofitting a vehicle with accessible equipment fosters a level of independence that facilitates adjustment to a meaningful, productive life after a serious injury.

To ensure stakeholders realize all the benefits that injured workers deserve, home and vehicle modification partners need to deliver an effective combination of experience, value, and resources. And with the continuous development of technological solutions, modification specialists are better equipped than ever to make this experience smoother, with increased visibility, well-coordinated communication, and greater efficiency. By understanding what to look for in a quality home modification company—and the value that technology platforms bring—employers, plan managers, and payors can be best positioned to do what’s right for injured workers and their families.

What quality home and vehicle modification partners bring to the table
Home and vehicle modifications are complex projects that often come with unforeseen developments. If not managed properly, these issues can lead to delays, cost overruns, and unsatisfactory outcomes. To ensure that projects of any size or scope are seen through to successful completion and follow universal design standards that ensure safety and livability, clients should expect the following from a quality partner:

• Years of experience and data: Each case is unique, but the ability to draw on previously completed modifications and an extensive data library specific to the accommodation of workplace injuries is a tremendous asset. Modifications must be customized to each injured worker’s situation to ensure suitable accommodations are made. In addition to experience and data, companies utilizing Certified Environmental Access Consultants (C.E.A.C.) in the initial evaluation and beyond will be best equipped to provide modifications that truly support functionality and independence. An experienced team working with skillful contractors also knows how to get answers from all stakeholders that bring real insight—balancing wants against needs for each individual case—and keeping construction on track.
• Ability to control costs: Modification companies also must control costs, including materials and labor, with full end-to-end hands-on project management. Quality partners recognize the warning signs of avoidable costs and scope creep, and how to steer clear of them—particularly by initially obtaining information that helps them fully understand the scope of work. This requires a thorough review of the treating provider’s instructions and the capability to reach consensus with all parties for the project’s scope.
• Scale and resources: Nationwide partnerships with specialty vendors ensure home and vehicle modification companies are leveraging economies of scale for the highest-quality materials and supplies. Established partners also have long-term relationships with trusted and experienced contractors and vendors, as well as monitoring systems in place to ensure projects stay on track and meet quality standards. Finally, providers that offer comprehensive support to meet specialized and ancillary medical needs, including home health and necessary medical equipment and supplies, can deliver enhanced continuity of care for injured patients transitioning to the home.
• Clear and consistent communication: Quality partners keep all parties—including injured workers, family members, case managers, employers, and claims professionals—updated from the beginning to the end of the project. Clients need a project manager to act as a single point of contact for the full process, from determining the scope of work, to interfacing with claims managers, nurse case managers, Occupational Therapists, and other clinicians to ensure the modifications are both necessary and appropriate. Project managers must also report on emerging issues, send updates, compile assessments, and make necessary recommendations for schematics, coding permits, and anticipated completion dates.

In short, experience, management proficiency, scale, and solid communication can lead to tighter project and cost controls, increased patient safety, and improved outcomes for injured workers and clients in what can very often be high-dollar, high-stakes projects.

In today’s home and vehicle modification landscape, technology is key
Technology is increasingly becoming central to home and vehicle modifications, adding value and visibility throughout the planning, execution, and validation phases. In addition to the fundamentals noted above, organizations with a secure, state-of-the-art communications and technology platform are best positioned to deliver superior service, satisfaction, and results. Here are just a few of the ways technologies such as a secure video platform and automated reporting can improve home and vehicle modifications:

• Detailed quotes: Modification providers with access to a technology platform can upload a detailed, accurate quote with measurements and photos from a phone or tablet. This expedites the process and saves time.
• Virtual walk-through capabilities: Video walk-throughs before, during, and after the modification project offer the ability to confer with contractors and clinicians for immediate answers and fast decisions.
• Real-time adjustments and refinements: When unforeseen questions and developments surface during the project, instant two-way video capabilities conducted by experienced project coordinators can support compliance with universal design standards, prevent additional on-site visits, limit travel costs, and help avoid costly delays and revisions.
• Regular progress reports: Technology platforms facilitate frequent and consistent progress reports that keep key stakeholders in the loop and avoid potentially costly communication gaps.

Technology presents great opportunities to streamline the home and vehicle modification processes, but to be effective, these capabilities must be functionally integrated into an experienced organization that can deliver high-touch service, value, and scale. Payors deserve a partner where the entire team truly understands the industry and home modifications—putting a strong emphasis on doing the right thing for both the injured worker and the payor. This ultimately leads to consistently satisfactory outcomes for projects, regardless of the size and scope.

Bringing people and technology together for better results
With technology continuing to transform the workers’ compensation sector, compassion and support become even more important to the recovery journey. Every modification project should offer injured workers and their families a sustained level of care and empathy. Balancing technological capabilities with high-performing expert human teams delivers an even greater capacity for home and vehicle modifications that enable successful, empowering transitions for injured patients and their families.

About Jennifer Brockman
Jennifer Brockman has been Vice President of Care at Home Services for Paradigm since April 2024, after joining the company in 2017. In this time, she has been instrumental in expanding Paradigm’s Specialty Networks, while developing and executing product evolution strategies for home health, DME, and related solutions to ensure excellent outcomes for clients and injured workers.

Jennifer has held leadership roles across product management, account management, and sales in workers’ compensation and managed care for more than 20 years. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing from the University of Tampa.

About Laurie Hilfiker
As Vice President, Operations, for Paradigm’s Care at Home Services, Laurie Hilfiker oversees operational strategy for home health, DME, and related solutions, ensuring the best possible hospital-to-home transition for injured workers. Previously serving as Chief Operating Officer for Home Care Connect, Laurie guided product and process excellence prior to the company’s acquisition by Paradigm in 2021.

Laurie’s decades-spanning career has also included leadership positions with One Call Care Management and Coventry Health Care. She holds Master of Health Administration and Bachelor of Science in Health Administration degrees from the University of Phoenix.