Case management for successful reintegration

The top priority for people who suffer a serious illness or accident is to recover. The next hurdle is to reintegrate into the workplace. Helvetia supports both the individual returning to working life and the employer.

Long-term reintegration following a serious illness or accident

End-to-end coordination by a case manager

Reduction in direct and indirect costs

Prevented loss of expertise

Higher motivation for work and employee satisfaction

What is case management about?

Case managers provide early-stage, individual and end-to-end assistance to people who have had a serious accident or illness. The aim is to help them recover as quickly as possible and reintegrate on a long-term basis – whether that be into daily life or the workplace. The person concerned therefore receives professional support throughout the rehabilitation and reintegration process. Both the employee and the employer are supported.

For employers

Why is case management important?

Long-term employee absences can cause considerable costs, such as continued salary payments, staff recruitment and even lost revenues. It goes without saying, therefore, that long-term absences and disabilities need to be prevented or reduced insofar as is possible. Measures taken at an early stage with the aim of reintegrating employees into working life help to prevent such expenses.

Time in particular plays a decisive role if reintegration is to be successful. The longer the return to work is delayed, the harder it becomes for the individual concerned to reintegrate.

Case management at Helvetia

The case management team at Helvetia will be happy to advise you and your employees on complex cases. You will be given support in developing reintegration options within your own workplace. If necessary, Helvetia takes on the entire case management. On a case-by-case basis, a decision will be taken as to whether neutral coaching experts should be found for you and your employees, for example. Your employees can also be given support in the event of any reassignments or an external job search. The common goal is always to assist the individual concerned with the transition into the work process and ensure long-term motivation and performance.

Helvetia acts on its own initiative, depending on the case in hand. From among the notifications received reporting incapacity for work or incapacity to earn, it looks in greater depth at specific cases that may be suitable for case management. In communication with you as the employer, the case management team will clarify the reintegration potential in detail and decide on the measures to be taken.

How you as the employer can help

Inform all the relevant social security agencies in the case of long-term absences:
DI office responsible: notification of early detection following a 30-day absence at www.ahv-iv.ch
Daily sickness benefits insurance or accident insurance: clarification of the insurance-related support that can be expected.For this reason, enter your illness and accident reports (in German)
Employee benefit schemes: notification of incapacity for work or to earn following a three-month absence
When submitting a notification, point out specific circumstances
If possible, hold the job open or adapt it for the specific case in hand, or find alternative employment. Continue to support employees who have become unable to work during their absence, either through an internal case manager or a case manager engaged externally
Coordinate reintegration measures in accordance with internal process specifications
Conduct return-to-work interviews, make it easier for the individuals concerned to return to work
Train employees in their new responsibilities
Line manager training: health, prevention, reintegration and conduct in the event of illness and accidents
Ergonomic set-up of workstations

Support for the individuals concerned

How does case management support the employee concerned?

Case management is always geared to the individual: the rehabilitation process incorporates the entire personal environment of the individual concerned. The case manager in question gets together with and coordinates the various parties involved (individual concerned, physician, employer, relatives, parties bearing the costs and service providers).

Together, useful and achievable tasks are defined, always with the aim of enabling the individual to recover and reintegrate into the workplace as quickly as possible. Firstly, a case manager may liaise with medical experts, for example. Secondly, it is ensured that the job is held open for the employee or an effort is made to adapt it to the new circumstances. In certain cases, retraining is also organized.

What is the case management procedure?

1. Initial interview: The case management procedure is presented in an initial interview. If necessary, immediate measures are initiated.
2. Situation analysis: Either independently or with specialist support, the case manager obtains an overview of the situation and the environment of the individual concerned.
3. Objective: Individual steps are now defined with the aim of providing the individual concerned with the best possible support during their recovery and reintegration into the workplace.
4. Procedure: The attainment of the objectives and the effectiveness of the individual steps are regularly reviewed.
5. Completion: An overall assessment determines whether the measures taken led to sustained reintegration. If so, case management can be concluded.