Switching to a different occupational health service? Make sure to ensure a proper transfer of the files!

Are you considering switching to a different occupational health service provider? Then it is important to thoroughly map out which cases are currently active. Short-term cases, up to six months, are often not very concerning if there is progress and recovery in sight. However, you will need to closely examine the long-term cases for a proper handover. This can save you a lot of money.

By Mirelle Klijs

Identifying cases in time
How long have the cases been open, and what are the risks? For cases that have been ongoing for quite some time, it is also important to determine whether they will be transferred to the new occupational health service provider, or if they will be closed beforehand. In practice, we often see that cases are incomplete. If you want to switch in January, it is wise to take action now to assess the current situation.

Preventing sanction risks
The cases between six months and one and a half years are the most important to check. For these, you really need to have certain matters in order for the UWV, otherwise you may be at risk. Is it still necessary to request medical information? And are the cases complete with an action plan, interim evaluations, and the first-year evaluation? Has a qualified occupational health expert been involved, and has a second-track process been advised and initiated? If the cases are incomplete, as an employer you risk the UWV imposing a wage sanction.

Saving extra costs
The occupational physician of the new provider can assess whether any medical information is missing. If this information still needs to be requested, there will be costs involved. If you have properly inventoried the cases in advance, you can have employees request their own medical information from their healthcare provider. The better you organize this, the more costs you can save. Moreover, it ensures a much smoother start with the new occupational health service provider.

Transition phase: who does what?
When switching to a new occupational health service provider, there is always a transition phase. It is important to make clear agreements about this. Suppose you switch in January and one of your employees falls ill in October: will the sickness report and consultations still go through the old provider or not? If so, the new occupational physician will have to take over the case in January, and this usually goes less smoothly. After all, the employee will have to tell their story all over again. If you want the sickness report to go through us in advance, this must be properly arranged legally. Who does what in the transition phase, and who is responsible for which risks and sanctions—that is what matters.

Need help?
Employers often do not consider the cases when they are thinking about switching to another occupational health service provider. But you can see that it pays off if you do. We are happy to help you check the cases, so that the transition goes smoothly. Feel free to email me (mirelle@deverzuimmakelaar.nl) if you would like to know more about this.

back