VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION DEFINITIONS
Approval
or Denial to Participate in Vocational Rehabilitation: A determination made
by BWC order that addresses the injured worker’s:
·
Eligibility;
·
Feasibility;
and
·
Living
maintenance compensation.
Assessment
Plan: An
individualized, written plan designed to evaluate the specific barriers to
reemployment for an injured worker and to aid in establishing a return to work
goal.
Attorney
of Record (AOR):
The legal representative authorized by the injured worker or other claimant, as
evidenced by the most recently filed Claimant Authorized Representative (R-2).
Comprehensive
Vocational Rehabilitation Plan (“Comprehensive Plan”): An individualized,
written plan outlining all the vocational rehabilitation services and
activities authorized for the injured worker in order to obtain employment.
Disability
Management Coordinator (DMC): A rehabilitation professional employed by BWC, responsible
for determining an injured worker’s eligibility for vocational rehabilitation
services, overseeing the provision of such services, authorizing all living
maintenance and living maintenance wage loss and acting as a liaison for BWC to
the managed care organization and
vocational
rehabilitation service providers.
Eligibility:
An
initial step in evaluating a referral for vocational rehabilitation that
determines if the injured worker meets the requirements of O.R.C. 4123-18-03.
Employer
of Record (EOR): The
employer of the injured worker at the time of injury.
Employment
Specialist: A
provider that supplies one or more of the following services:
·
Job
Placement;
·
Job
Development;
·
Job
Seeking Skills Training;
·
Job
Club;
·
Job
Coaching.
Feasibility:
An initial
and ongoing determination that the injured worker is willing and is able to
participate in vocational rehabilitation services, and that there is a
reasonable probability that the injured worker will benefit from, and return to
work because of, the services.
Follow-up
Services:
Vocational rehabilitation services provided after the injured worker returns to
work and prior to case closure, designed to ensure the stability of the return to
work.
Hard
Copy Signature: The
actual signature, a photo of the actual signature, or a stamp of the actual signature.
A scanned document sent via fax or email which reflects a hard copy signature
is acceptable. A typed or font signature is not an acceptable hard copy
signature.
Initial
Assessment: The
phase at the beginning of the vocational rehabilitation process when the
vocational rehabilitation case manager is reviewing and gathering additional
vocational information, including contacting the injured worker, the employer
of record, the physician of record and other individuals relevant to the
injured worker’s vocational status.
Initial
Assessment Report:
The report created by the vocational rehabilitation case manager at the
conclusion of the initial assessment that summarizes the current vocational
factors and includes a recommendation for next steps.
Job
Development Services: A vocational service that assists an injured worker in
returning to work by uncovering the hidden job market (i.e., unadvertised
positions) and/or creating a job that matches the injured worker’s vocational
skills and abilities.
Job
Placement Services: A
vocational service that assists an injured worker in returning to work
by matching the injured worker’s vocational skills and abilities with jobs that
may be available or modified for the injured worker.
Job
Retention Plan: An
individualized, written plan outlining the vocational rehabilitation services
and activities authorized for the injured worker in order to retain the current
employment.
Job
Retention Services:
Vocational rehabilitation services that a working injured worker may receive
when the injured worker is experiencing a significant work-related problem as a
direct result of the allowed conditions in the claim.
Medical
Hold: A
type of closure status that retains the injured worker’s eligibility for
vocational rehabilitation for up to a maximum of two years. A medical hold is
used when the injured worker is unable to actively participate in their
vocational rehabilitation plan due to medical reasons.
Ohio
Region:
An area inside, or within 50 miles outside of, Ohio’s border.
Physician
of Record (POR): One
of seven provider types holding a current and valid certificate of licensure
under the laws of the State of Ohio, or the equivalent under the laws of
another state, and chosen by the injured worker to direct treatment. The seven
types of qualifying providers are:
·
A
doctor of chiropractic (D.C.);
·
A
doctor of dental surgery (D.D.S.) or doctor of medicine in dentistry (D.M.D.);
·
A
doctor of mechanotherapy (D.M.);
·
A
doctor of osteopathic medicine (D.O.);
·
A
doctor of medicine (M.D.);
·
A
doctor of podiatric medicine (D.P.M.); and
·
A
psychologist (Ph.D or PsyD).
Plan
Identification Number: A sequential means of identifying a plan and plan
amendment (e.g., the original plan would be number 1. If there is an amendment
to the plan, it would be number 2).
Referral
Date: The
first documented date of receipt of a vocational rehabilitation referral by BWC
or the managed care organization.
Return
to Work (RTW) Hierarchy: The research-supported priority outcomes for RTW that
minimizes disruption in the injured worker’s life and ensures the most
cost-effective, efficient and permanent re-employment for that injured worker.
The hierarchy in descending order of benefit is:
·
Same
job, same employer: The injured worker returning to the original employer in
the original job;
·
Different
job, same employer: The injured worker returning to the original employer in a
modified or different job;
·
Same
job, different employer: The injured worker obtaining employment with a
different employer in the same or related industry;
·
Different
job, different employer: The injured worker obtaining employment with a
different employer in another industry.
Source
Claim:
The original claim through which an injured worker is participating in a
vocational rehabilitation plan.
Verification
of Verbal Approval: The
VRCM’s initials and date; used as an attestation that the VRCM has discussed
plan services with the injured worker and that the injured worker agrees with
the services.
Vocational
Rehabilitation Case Manager (VRCM): A BWC-certified rehabilitation professional,
selected by the injured worker and assigned to the claim by the managed care
organization, who is responsible for developing and coordinating a variety of
services with the objective of returning the injured worker to work.
Vocational
Rehabilitation Plan: A
term that references an assessment plan, a comprehensive vocational
rehabilitation plan or a job-retention plan.
Vocational
Rehabilitation Program Coordinator: A rehabilitation professional assigned by the
managed care organization to direct the managed care organization’s management
of vocational rehabilitation services.
Vocational
Rehabilitation Services: A set of services offered to an eligible injured worker
who, due to an industrial injury or occupational disease, needs assistance to
return to work, retain employment or obtain new employment.