With the world undergoing significant change in recent times, it should come as no surprise that the values of people are shifting. There have been sizeable developments in work pressures and environments, which has led to more people wanting their claims handled differently. We share the three ways you should be putting people at the centre of personal injury claims management.
The world has changed over the last three years, and so have the values of people. With pandemic pressures and changing work environments, there has been a shift in the way people want their personal injury claims handled. It’s no surprise that you should be putting people at the core of what you do but doing this effectively and efficiently can be harder than you think.
In our work across large and complex personal injury claims, we’ve developed a tailored model for person-centred schemes and seen first-hand the rewards of effectively putting people first. We’ve outlined three ways you can put people at the centre of personal injury claims management and the benefits that this kind of approach can have on your business.
- Prioritise human interaction over complicated systems
Suffering from an injury can already be a very stressful time in life, let alone having to navigate complicated claims service systems. When looking at system-centred approaches versus person-centred approaches, it’s important to consider the elements of each.
A system centred approach:
- Talks about and plans for the person
- Focuses on a diagnosis and expected trajectory
- Focuses only on the claimed injury
- Creates support based on what works for the person with ‘that diagnosis’
- Does things a certain way because the system tells us to
- Provides generic solutions
A person-centred approach:
- Collaborates and plans with the individual
- Focuses on the person’s strengths, abilities and skills
- Focuses on the whole person, including biopsychosocial factors
- Does things to support the person
- Tailors solutions for unique and individual circumstances
A person-centred approach places the injured worker at the centre of decision-making, contributing to the goals they want to achieve and the services they wish to receive. This enables injured workers to feel empowered and supported to meaningfully participate in their recovery and focus on their goals for today, tomorrow and the future.
- Lead the process with empathy, understanding and respect
Allowing the individual’s values, beliefs and circumstances to guide how services are designed and delivered is the concept of person-centredness. Meaningfully supporting an injured worker in decisions that impact them forms a successful partnership.
Valuing and identifying an injured worker’s strengths and capabilities can mean dedicating more work and time but the benefits far outweigh the initial outlay. Working collaboratively with the injured worker to identify their skills, needs and abilities to overcome recovery barriers builds trust and puts them at the centre of planning, care and support. This is a process of continual listening and learning, focusing on what is important to the injured worker, now and for the future. This strengths-based person-centred approach leads the process with empathy, understanding and respect and supports individuals in achieving their full potential.
- Offer personalised care, support and treatment
This principle is at the heart of the person-centred approach. It’s understanding that what works for one individual may not be suitable for another. Personalising this approach in their recovery journey will help support and care for their wants and needs. This can be achieved through open communication, shared decision-making, and the implementation of a tailored and holistic approach to the individual’s needs and goals. The SMART tool can be beneficial in helping to develop this and set you up early for success:
Specific – are goals well defined and focused?
Measurable – how will the goal be measured?
Attainable – are the goals realistic and achievable in their present situation?
Relevant – will achieving these goals contribute to longer-term goals?
Time – are these goals possible within the available timeframe?
This approach not only supports the injury worker’s recovery but also contributes to an ongoing successful personal injury claims management relationship.
Let us support you, contact me today to find out how we can help guide you through these changes
