CNESST RED FLAGS: THE DISTURBING NEW TREND OF OVER-TREATMENT HAS RESURFACED

Recent years have seen the resurgence of a deeply concerning trend in the rehabilitation of minor workplace musculoskeletal injuries (sprains, tendinitis…) as revealed by MedExtra’s validated data, based on the 5-5-5 HTB Rehabilitation Clinic model.

Compared to the Reed Group MD Guidelines, the global authority on workplace musculoskeletal injury rehabilitation, even the most minor conditions are now being over-treated in nearly all rehabilitation/physiotherapy clinics:

• 2.5 to 68 times the number of treatment sessions
• 2.1 to 9 times the duration of treatment
• 1 to 8 times the frequency of sessions

Astonishingly, doctors are often unaware of this over-treatment. And with limited expertise in musculoskeletal injury rehabilitation, they rely primarily on occasional reports from treating physiotherapists to continue, modify or discontinue treatment, creating an obvious conflict of interest.

With the implementation of temporary assignment reducing monthly wage replacement, the greater burden of CNESST claims and virtually non-existent monitoring at CNESST level, the considerable costs of this over-treatment and its impact on delayed consolidation, and the increased incidence of functional limitations and permanent partial disabilities caused by this over-treatment go unnoticed by HR managers, medical experts and the BEM.

It is also crucial to highlight that many affected workers are often part of the working poor or recent immigrants. After undergoing this excessive treatment, in clear violation of international standards, they are left to fend for themselves with minimal compensation.

To learn how MedExtra’s Virtual Medical Director addresses this issue, click here.