Emergency room treatment for non-emergency medical conditions is a major contributor to the rising cost of health care.  The average emergency room visit costs $1,049, while the average physician’s office visit costs around $153.  Of course in an emergency you should go to the ER or call 911, but if you feel your condition does not require the ER, call your personal physician.  Here are some guidelines to follow in deciding.

When to Use the ER:
 Chest pain lasting two minutes or more
 Uncontrolled bleeding
 Sudden or severe pain
 Difficulty breathing; shortness of breath
 Sudden dizziness, weakness, or change in vision
 Severe or persistent vomiting or diarrhea
 Confusion or change in mental status

When to contact your personal physician:
 Earaches
 Sore throats
 Fevers that respond to fever-reducing medications
 Ankle sprains and other strains of muscles or joints
 Coughs and colds
 Abdominal pain or other symptoms that resemble an illness that is “going around”
 Any situation where it would be convenient, but not necessary, to seek care from an ER

With all the talk about H1N1 and how it might affect individuals, families and businesses, Molyneaux Risk Solutions prepared this document to shed additional light on the topic from a Risk Management perspective.  Every business has a different view of the risks an H1N1 outbreak or a potential flu pandemic might pose to their operation.  While we don’t think it is wise to add to the considerable hype, we also feel it would be less wise to ignore the situation completely.

Here are a few tips and resources that you might find helpful. 

• Three of the simplest steps may be the most effective:
-Frequent hand washing/disinfecting
-Very careful covering up when sneezing and coughing – straight into the crook of your elbow is much better than covering with your hand or forearm.
-If your employees are sick – they need to stay home!

• Some companies are considering using masks.  The N95 mask is approved for this application and is inexpensive.  However, if you require a mask to be used OSHA requires you to have a Written Respirator Program and you must do fit tests on each mask.  If wearing a mask is optional, then you can avoid the written program and the fit tests as long as you have the attached document signed by all employees that choose to wear a mask.

• The http://www.flu.gov/ website has a wide variety of pertinent information on the subject.   The following toolkit is well designed and contains pertinent information: http://www.flu.gov/plan/workplaceplanning/toolkit.pdf

As you know, there is a wide range of sensitivity to this topic.  We have many clients that do not see the need for any precautions, but we also have clients that are carefully planning for the potential of major disruptions in their employee force, their supply chain and in their customer base.  We have to advise you to err on the side of caution…

The potential of an H1N1/flu pandemic has created at least a couple of other issues that you need to at least be aware of:

First, there are new insurance products to consider.  These new insurance policies provide reimbursement for Extra Expenses your company might incur as a result of a flu pandemic.  To date, these products have not been widely purchased as most companies find the cost to be prohibitive.  However, if you would like to explore this further, we would be happy to assist you in obtaining a proposal.

Second, insurers are preparing to deal with the reality that some employees may allege that they contracted the flu while at work.  Rather than making any attempt to determine whether such claims are credible or not, we urge you to submit a First Report of Injury if such an allegation is made so that the insurance company can begin investigation immediately.  Our insurer will only pay if they believe that the circumstances in which the employee contracted the flu arose out of and in the course of their employment, as is the standard that must be met for any Worker’s Compensation claim to be compensable.  By following this procedure, you will protect your company by transferring the risk to your insurance company.

It is our hope that the continuing hype on this issue will not prove to be warranted, but we repeat that it never hurts to be prepared for the worst.