I am curious to hear about what the process is for your individual systems in managing an on-duty injury. For instance, you sustain a hand injury during an MVC extrication. Assuming the system will care for you, what is the process of obtaining evaluation, treatment, and rehabilitation? Are you sent to the ED? Are you referred to the system's medical director? Is there a mid-level or other healthcare professional that provides an initial evaluation? Is rehabilitation handled by in-house therapists, or is it billed out?
As an athletic training student I am looking ahead at future careers, and have started to deviate from the classic high school or college AT positions and more towards working in the ED or with EMS/Fire directly. Specifically, one of my ideas is to operate under the medical director as sort of a "middle man" between the initial injury and the potential for a full ED work up. I have not heard much of such a position, but I believe that it would save money for the employee and the employer, in addition to keeping everything simpler by remaining in-house. With EBP the way it is today in sports medicine, special tests and palpations are allowing for greater true positive results, and thus less reliance on expensive imagery, let alone a visit to the ED as a whole. An AT (or similar profession) could cut down on referrals, provide in-house legitimate treatment (even at the station), provide a rehab program, all while saving money and time, In-House CHP.
Does anyone have any insight on their system's management of on-duty injuries, or of the position I am describing? I am holding off on contacting system administrators directly as I am still 2 years away from licensure as an AT, but once that time nears and the job search begins I hope to get my ducks in a row and attempt to create such a position within a city's EMS system.
Thanks for any input!
As an athletic training student I am looking ahead at future careers, and have started to deviate from the classic high school or college AT positions and more towards working in the ED or with EMS/Fire directly. Specifically, one of my ideas is to operate under the medical director as sort of a "middle man" between the initial injury and the potential for a full ED work up. I have not heard much of such a position, but I believe that it would save money for the employee and the employer, in addition to keeping everything simpler by remaining in-house. With EBP the way it is today in sports medicine, special tests and palpations are allowing for greater true positive results, and thus less reliance on expensive imagery, let alone a visit to the ED as a whole. An AT (or similar profession) could cut down on referrals, provide in-house legitimate treatment (even at the station), provide a rehab program, all while saving money and time, In-House CHP.
Does anyone have any insight on their system's management of on-duty injuries, or of the position I am describing? I am holding off on contacting system administrators directly as I am still 2 years away from licensure as an AT, but once that time nears and the job search begins I hope to get my ducks in a row and attempt to create such a position within a city's EMS system.
Thanks for any input!