An overview of expanding and new services to support our clients’ coronavirus needs. 

0 1  COVID-19 hotline 
0 2  Off work or return to work   
0 3  Clinical consultation/nurse triage 
0 4  Telemedicine and TelePT 
0 5  Onsite support and shift change oral temperature and screenings 
0 6  Behavioral health 

0 1  COVID-19 hotline 

The COVID-19 hotline is now available to provide guidance and support to employees with a known or presumed case of COVID-19.   

• G E N E R A L   Q U E S T I O N S
  Sedgwick's clients and their employees have access to specially trained nurses who can provide immediate guidance — and much-needed compassion — to their employees during these uncertain times for any questions they may have.

• E X P O S U R E   E V A L U A T I O N
  A crisis care nurse will support and evaluate the employee’s risk of exposure to COVID-19 in keeping with specific client return to work philosophy. The nurse determines if the employee is at low, medium or high level of risk and using client driven protocols, provides information regarding self-quarantine, isolation and return to work. Depending upon client preferences, the employee can also be routed to report their claim.
  
  Clients may utilize our 24/7 clinical call center or email questions or concerns for a response within 24 business hours.

• Q U A R A N T I N E   A N D   I S O L A T I O N
  A nurse will contact quarantined employees at approximately day 12 of the 14-day isolation period. Depending upon client preferences, employees may also use the service to call a Sedgwick nurse as a required step to communicate their availability to return to work. Nurses use a script to determine if the employee is symptomatic and, if so, direct the employee on a care plan. If the employee is not showing symptoms, the nurse discusses the ability and intent to return to work at the end of the quarantine or isolation period. Return to work capabilities are client specific and employee status are communicated via Sedgwick reporting.

0 2  Off work or return to work   

A clinician will evaluate symptoms and provide guidance on when and for how long it is appropriate to be off work. With so much difficulty obtaining physician notes this group also provides clearance for return to work noting when an employee is safe to return to work. There may also be an occasional need for an outbound call to discuss details about an employee’s chronic condition to determine if indeed it is chronic or infectious. Our clinicians use the Center for Disease Control guidelines to make these determinations. In most cases email responses are returned within one hour, depending on volume. Hours of operation are 6 a.m. EST to 12 a.m. EST. 

Each client is provided a dedicated COVID email inbox. 

0 3  Clinical consultation/nurse triage 

Sedgwick has a dedicated telephonic service that offers 24/7 access to triage nurses to offer recommendations and direction for employees who have been exposed, or fear they have been exposed, to coronavirus and need to know whether to seek health care. For clients using our clinical consultation services, one call to Sedgwick will provide access to a trained nurse who will determine the care and resources needed, such as telemedicine or telePT services, behavioral health support, case manager guidance, physician advisors and specialized medical equipment experts.  

0 4  Telemedicine and TelePT 

Telemedicine services are provided through our partnership with Concentra and are primarily utilized through our clinical consultation/triage services. The service is available for all clients active for these services and may also be utilized for follow-up visits. Current exception states for telemedicine include: AL, AR, DC, ID, MT, ND, NV, SD, WV and WY. Additional states however are imminent for activation.  

Telemedicine in partnership with clinical consultation provides a pathway for people who are experiencing symptoms to determine if they are at risk for COVID-19, see a healthcare provider quickly and be referred to a testing facility. 

Sedgwick’s telePT provides remote therapy with no in-person clinical contact. TelePT is offered in all states by our physical medicine partners, One Call and MedRisk. In New York, telePT is only allowable for follow-up visits after the initial in-person visit. The client’s in-network physical therapist will evaluate the injured worker, type of injury and type of PT needed to confirm telePT as an option. 

0 5  Onsite support and shift change oral temperature and screenings 

Sedgwick offers the ability to monitor for potential symptoms before entering the workforce. This service monitors and can log the temperature via HHA/LPN/RN onsite (based on availability) and/or Sedgwick TeleNurse at shift change using disposable thermometers or can assist in addressing employee concerns in returning to the workplace. TeleNurse requires onsite monitor/iPad/iPhone with camera capability. The service can be customized by location and specialty. Sedgwick recommends a minimum of two clinicians in order to separately vet and support any questions or temperature reading variations with the employee. 

Service agreement and HIPAA notification are executed.  

Contact: specialtynetworks@sedgwick.com. Please advise in your request: 

• Specific location count and actual address 
• Number of FTE’s per shift 
• What are the shifts?  
• Do they desire onsite LPN, RN or home health aide, medical assistant or Virtual TeleNurse?  
• Client point of contact  
• Is PPE needed or will the client supply? 

0 6  Behavioral health 

As the uncertainty surrounding the coronavirus pandemic grows, the need to help employees manage the associated stress increases as well. Sedgwick behavioral specialists can help address the psychological well-being of the employee and provide tips to help manage stress. Case managers and claims examiners can refer employees for behavioral health. 

The behavioral health specialist will:  

• Discuss with the employee their coping skills during this challenging time 
• Provide encouragement and suggestions about self-care and stress management 
• Maintain focus on return-to-work even when this might not be apparent 
• Help the employee continue with their treatment goals and recovery efforts 
• Address family or other psychosocial stressors resulting from social distancing 

Contact: COVID19support@sedgwick.com

Global intake solutions

Sedgwick's innovative, multi-lingual, cloud-hosted platform was designed to initiate a broad range of incident and claim events. Features include multiple channels for intake of event or claim incidents, mobile-responsive sites, easy document upload capabilities, real-time dispersing of data and relevant information to key stakeholders and more. From customer-specific intake initiatives, to large volume event or claim collection, including mass catastrophe, product recalls and incentive programs, Sedgwick can create a custom intake module to meet fast cycle needs, all while improving compliance and regulatory reporting requirements.

Learn more or contact sedgwick@sedgwick.com.

Business interruption (BI) claims handling

When a mass event occurs, it can escalate quickly and involve millions of incidents. We are seeing this on an unprecedented scale with the impact of the COVID-19 on business interruption, which is creating a need for many to take action. Yet, as unique as this challenge is, the solution is not unfamiliar to Sedgwick. We have the resources, technology and expertise in place to implement and scale a comprehensive, simple plan to promptly address the needs of employers. In these unprecedented times, we can help set a new precedent.

Learn more or contact sedgwick@sedgwick.com.

Forensic advisory services

For more complex (BI) claims, our forensic accountants have in-depth experience in measuring economic damages and they are skilled at determining appropriate calculations across different industries, company sizes and loss types. In the midst of the COVID-19 crisis, the team can implement statistical methods to identify the impact of losses resulting from the virus separate from independently occurring losses. Using data analytics, coupled with technology, our experts are able to ramp up quickly as claim volumes increase. 

Learn more or contact sedgwick@sedgwick.com.

In-person and remote field adjusting 

As an essential workforce supporting our clients, we remain committed to conducting in-person inspections where needed. To continue to assist our clients and insureds where in-person visits are not currently possible, we have quickly expanded capabilities through the use of advanced video collaboration technology. This will allow our seasoned adjusters to inspect remotely by sharing a link with your policyholder that will open their cellphone camera and microphone. From there, they gather video and photographs of the damage and other information needed to complete an estimate and claim report. 

Learn more or contact sedgwick@sedgwick.com. 

Unemployment claims management and tax services

Without a centralized, consistent process for managing unemployment claims, it can be challenging for employers to control costs and monitor all aspects of their program. At Sedgwick, we offer comprehensive claims services and expertise to help our clients every step of the way. We also provide a wide range of services to help clients analyze unemployment tax liability, manage tax accounts and uncover possible savings. 

Learn more about Sedgwick unemployment claims management solutions, unemployment tax management services or watch a recent webinar about this issue.

For more information contact unemployment@sedgwick.com.

Coronavirus statutory state updates (disability, leave and unemployment benefits)

The COVID-19 outbreak has required state disability and leave programs to remain flexible and take action (see the chart on the right). We’ve been watching and sharing analysis as states quickly expand provisions to accommodate the new realities their working populations are facing each day. We have also expanded our offerings to accommodate small to mid-size organizations that are impacted by the statutory changes for employers below the 500 employee threshold. 

For more information contact sedgwick@sedgwick.com.

OSHA recordkeeping

If an employee is exposed to COVID-19 at work, the case is recordable and should be entered on the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) 300 log. 

For more information, see our coronavirus update on OSHA recordkeeping requirements.

Learn more or contact sedgwick@sedgwick.com.

Industrial hygiene

For large or complex needs, EFI Global, a Sedgwick company, is actively aiding our clients in their response to the COVID-19 pandemic with our certified industrial hygienists and industrial hygiene experts. The team can develop business-specific cleaning and disinfection protocols, provide disinfection contractor oversight and assist with business preparedness and continuity planning. As an industry leader in industrial hygiene consulting, EFI Global has combined our decades of experience with the cleaning and disinfection protocols from the Center for Disease Control and prevention (CDC) to support our clients’ developing needs during this challenging time.  

Click here to learn more or contact assignaproject@efiglobal.com.

Cleaning

Sedgwick’s repair solutions team can connect you with approved contractors to clean and disinfect buildings and their contents in accordance with CDC standards. Services include: 24-hour emergency response, assessments and inspections, contents pack-out and cleaning, environmental/hazardous cleanup and fabric and textile cleaning. 

Our services are provided by experts with the training, cutting-edge equipment and materials to manage commercial and residential projects.

Click here to learn more, or contact us at 800.587.4243 or claims@sedgwickrepair.com.