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Medical Management Services

 

Medical Management Services (MMS)

Founded in 1999, AIG MMS Ireland is an independent medical and vocational case management company.  We are a unique offering within the Irish insurance industry.  Our primary focus is to facilitate an injured party’s (IP) recovery and return to work by intervening early to ensure the best possible rehabilitation programme. We are staffed by qualified health professionals, experienced in injury and rehabilitation.  Medical Management Services is available to AIG Liability policyholders.

Managing workplace injury and absenteeism

In today’s workplace, employers are dedicating valuable company resources to manage injury/ absenteeism within the work-force.  This is a complex issue which poses many questions for an organisation:

  • How do we resource this function?  Human Resources? Health and Safety Officer?
  • What is the nature of the employee’s injury/ illness and for how long will they be absent?
  • Is the employee receiving the appropriate medical care and mitigating their loss?
  • If not, why and what can be done in order to facilitate a return to work?
  • Is the period of absenteeism proportionate to the injury/ symptoms?
  • When can we be sure that an employee is fit to return to all aspects of their role?
  • How do we minimise the risk of re-injury +/ further claims?
  • How can we improve our procedure to monitor and support injured employees while they are out of work?

 

What can MMS do for you?

  • Appoint a dedicated healthcare professional to manage the injury/ illness aspects of your employee’s absenteeism
  • Coordinate high-quality,  appropriate and timely medical intervention
  • Keep you informed of progress- absence is controlled and not employee led
  • Provide clarity on the nature of an employee’s injury, prognosis and fitness for work
  • Facilitate a safe, early and medically signed off return to work

 

How does it work?

At your request, AIG MMS Ireland will obtain an injured employee’s signed consent to case manage.   We will then perform a telephone assessment and work with the employee’s medical team to ensure that all the necessary steps to facilitate a return to work are taken.  This can often include challenging the existing course of care, changing personnel, facilitating onward referrals etc.

What are the benefits?

 

For the employer:

  • Decreases burden on internal resources in managing absenteeism
  • Provides clarity on an employee’s progress and return to work
  • Reduces hidden and direct costs associated with injury and absence
  • Regarded as a company benefit resulting in improved employee relations, loyalty and staff retention
  • Decreases the cost of claims/ potential claims/ claim life cycle
  • Promotes a less adversarial attitude and can assist in reducing legal costs
  • Reduce the loss of earnings and loss of opportunity aspect of a claim

 

For the injured employee:

  • Provides support and care
  • Delivers better quality and more efficient treatment
  • Decreases financial burden of treatment
  • Encourages early return to work

What are the associated costs?

What are the associated costs?

There are two branches to case management costs

1. AIG MMS Ireland professional fees

2. Medical treatment fees

Please note:

  • If your Liability policy has €0 excess, these costs are absorbed by AIG
  • If your Liability policy has an excess, you will bare these costs until the excess is breached

Why Case Manage?

Independent actuarial analysis consistently shows at least a 30% saving on the cost of a claim when AIG MMS Ireland has actively case managed.

If you have any questions, please contact our Medical Management Services team on (01) 208 1468 or MMS.ie@aig.com

Employer FAQs

  1. Once it is decided to support your employee with case management, a file is opened at AIG Medical Management Services (Ireland). 
  2. You as the employer can explain the services of AIG Medical Management Services (Ireland) to the employee who can then expect contact from the MMS case manager. 
  3. The case manager then phones the employee. They evaluate the current health status and request the employee’s consent to case manage. 
  4. MMS with the employee’s consent, contacts the employee’s treating practitioner. An ideal plan of care is mapped out and implemented based on the employee’s needs. 
  5. MMS co-operates with you to facilitate the employee’s safe and appropriate return to work.
  • As soon as possible. The earlier the file is referred to AIG Medical Management Services (Ireland) the earlier we can make contact with the employee and take responsibility for the co-ordination of treatment. Therefore we have found that the key element is time. The aim is to minimise the time from the occurrence of an accident to a file being opened at MMS. 
  • Research indicates that early diagnosis and facilitation of early treatment guarantees the earliest possible return to work. The sooner an appropriate rehabilitation programme is mapped out and implemented, the better the chances of an early return to work within the critical period.
  • Yes, throughout the case management process, your employee’s designated case manager acts as a central point of contact liaising with all relevant parties, receiving treatment recommendations, agreeing all costs with the employer and ensuring that the employee is attending and benefiting from treatment.
  • Your employee’s case manager will provide you with a monthly update report and is always available at the end of the phone should you require further information.
  • Clarity on employee’s progress throughout all rehabilitation stages in connection with the potential return to work. 
  • Retention of valuable human resources 
  • Your employee will feel more supported following an injury or illness and you as the employer will be seen to be supporting your employee in a positive way. 
  • Potential litigation claims are avoided. 
  • A reduction in both direct and indirect costs associated with injury and absence 
  • Medical certification is specifically matched to the employee’s particular job description. 
  • Employee absence is managed in a structured and effective way.
  • In the majority of cases, the objective of ensuring a return to work in the original job is achieved. AIG Medical Management Services (Ireland) works alongside you as the employer to implement a suitable and effective return to work programme for the employee. This can be co-ordinated in one of three ways. 
  • In some cases, the employee may return to their original job straight away however in other cases, an employee may require a graded return to work programme which MMS can co-ordinate in conjunction with you as the employer. Alternatively, the employee may return to their original job but will require certain adaptations, for example ergonomic assistance and modifications. 
  • However, should it appear that your employee might not be able to return to their original employment, MMS will arrange a referral to a vocational consultant. 
  • The aim of the vocational consultant is to offer advice, guidance and support for people requiring individually tailored one-to-one assistance to enable them to get back into the workforce. The Vocational Consultant will work alongside the employee and you, the employer to find a medically suitable job within the company for the employee which is meaningful for both the employee and the employer.
  • If the employee will never return to his/her original job and there is no suitable alternative job within the company, the Vocational Consultant then works with the individual to find a different job which is matched to their skills, medical status, experience and qualifications. 
  • The input of the Vocational Consultant can also assist with the claims process should it arise. If a suitable alternative job for the employee has been found, this can limit any loss of earnings claims.
  • While we do work alongside the employee’s own medical team, AIG Medical Management Services (Ireland) case managers also have an excellent working knowledge of various medical care providers countrywide. In many cases, we can access early medical treatment and review for the employee.

  • Examples of the Medical care providers MMS uses are: 
    1.Occupational Health Physicians
    2. General Practitioners
    3. Specialist Medical Consultants
    4. Vocational Consultants
    5. Physiotherapists
    6. Occupational Therapists
    7. Psychologists
    8. Alternative Health

  • MMS continually researches and enhances its network of Medical care providers nationwide. We ensure that all medical care providers are fully insured and hold current membership of their relevant professional body.
  • AIG Medical Management Services (Ireland) cost structure is divided into two parts. The AIG Medical Management Services (Ireland) case management fees which are charged in units of 5 minutes and the medical care / service provider costs which are agreed with you in advance of treatment. 
  • Please contact us directly for further information on our costs.

If you have a query which has not been addressed on our website, please do not hesitate to contact us:

Employee FAQs

Our case management service is designed to help you get the medical care your doctors have recommended for you and to assist your recovery and return to work.
Case management offers you the following benefits:

  • Your injury/illness is managed by a qualified professional who will work with you and with your consent, with your doctors to ensure the best possible plan of recovery. 
  • You can get access to the care you need in the shortest possible time.
  • You will receive support and advice during your recovery period. 
  • You will have the opportunity for early return to work with minimal financial implications. 
  • The cost of the treatment will be covered so you don’t have to worry about the financial aspect of your medical treatment, allowing you to focus on your recovery.
  • Your employer will advise you of AIG Medical Management Services (Ireland) and will refer your file to us. Once this occurs, your designated case manager will contact you by telephone to discuss MMS and to assess the nature of your injury and the treatment you are receiving. MMS will also request your written agreement to contact your own medical team to assist in co-ordinating your rehabilitation programme. 
  • Once your written consent has been received, MMS will contact your doctors to discuss your specific needs. An ideal plan of care based on your needs will then be coordinated and monitored. 
  • MMS will gain financial sanction to cover the cost of your treatment during your recovery programme. 
  • MMS will then co-operate with your employer to facilitate your safe and appropriate return to work.
  • No, you do not have to change your current treating doctor. AIG Medical Management Services (Ireland) liaises with your current treating practitioner to assist them in implementing your most appropriate plan of care.
  • While we do work alongside your own medical team, AIG Medical Management Services (Ireland) case managers also have an excellent working knowledge of various medical care providers countrywide. In many cases, we can access early medical treatment and review.

  • Examples of the Medical care providers MMS uses are:
    1. Occupational Health Physicians
    2. General Practitioners
    3. Specialist Medical Consultants
    4. Vocational Consultants
    5. Physiotherapists
    6. Occupational Therapists
    7. Psychologists
    8. Alternative Health

  • MMS continually researches and enhances its network of Medical care providers nationwide. We ensure that all medical care providers are appropriately insured and hold correct membership of their relevant professional body. 
  • No, MMS will co-ordinate sanction to cover the cost of the treatment. Once the funding has been agreed, we will arrange the treatment and pay the invoices for the agreed treatment in due course.
  • In the majority of cases, the objective of ensuring a return to work in the original job is achieved. However, should it appear that you might not be able to return to your original employment, MMS will arrange a referral to a vocational consultant. 
  • The aim of the vocational consultant is to offer advice, guidance and support for people requiring individually tailored one-to-one assistance to enable them to get back into the workforce. 
  • The Vocational Consultant will work alongside you and any other relevant parties (your employer/Grant Agencies etc) to implement an appropriate return to work programme.

If you have a query which has not been addressed on our website, please do not hesitate to contact us: