Supporting key infrastructure workers with health support to keep going during COVID-19

During COVID-19, many businesses have had to stand employees down, close their doors or change their services. But for many organisations, whose services are key parts of the infrastructure of Australia, that isn’t an option.

Injurynet Australia, part of MAX Solutions, are providing a 24/7 COVID-19 telehealth service to these organisations to ensure they can keep essential services running and the country moving. For large organisations with employees across the country in banking, telecommunications, power and water supply and even medical teams like ambulance services, it is vital that workers can continue to do their work safely.

With access to medical services stretched across the country, it’s important that employees can be triaged quickly and gain access to professional medical advice. The service we provide has 3 layers of escalation: an initial advice hotline by healthcare professionals, a nurse triage service and a medical professional consultation depending on the need of the employee. Where an employee has contact with a potential source for COVID-19, Injurynet is able to obtain, interpret and pass on the recommended outcome based on the results of the source person with little delay.

Executive General Manager of Injurynet, Dr. David Milecki said, “What we are seeing is an unprecedented number of people needing qualified advice who would, under normal circumstances, be calling a HR support line or perhaps taking time off work to wait out their symptoms”. In the last 6 weeks Injurynet have triaged over 800 employees as part of this service.

The speed of the service is key to its success. For Ambulance Victoria, the service is being used by paramedics who come in to contact with patients who potentially have COVID-19. Injurynet track both the patient and the responding paramedic to ensure that the result of the patient test is communicated back to Ambulance Victoria and that the paramedic can safely return to work to deliver emergency services.

Not only does this advice need to be available on demand 24 hours a day, but it also needs to keep up with the fast-moving pace of updates to the general rules and guidance regarding testing, symptom checking and advice for the virus.

Dr. Milecki said, “Keeping up with the information is difficult for organisations who are not only facing the challenge of ensuring the safety of its employees, but changes in many other areas of their organisations as well. We are able to stay on top of the changes, adjust our advice and ensure these organisations have access to up to date, fast professional advice”. Following up source results allows employees to safely return to work well before the 14-day self-isolation period is completed, saving many potentially lost work days and money for that organisation.

In addition to the health hotline, Injurynet are also offering Chief Medical Officer advice to organisations who normally don’t have that position in their Executive positions. A Chief Medical Officer provides advice and guidance for organisations that require detailed and considered planning and processes in place to ensure the protection of employee health.

Injurynet boasts over two decades of experience in the health sector and has one of the largest national medical practitioner networks in Australia, working to prevent and reduce the impact of injury and illness in both the workplace and the community.

MAX Solutions provides a range of health support services through the National Disability Insurance Scheme, employment services and health assessment services following the acquisition of Assessments Australia in 2015.