April 1, 2024
What an injured worker eats has become a talking point for workers compensation claims handlers as they explore the intersection of nutrition and injury recovery.
Proper nutrition “is something that we identified because if there’s poor nutrition, they’re not going to recover as quickly or as well, especially if they’re having a surgery,” said Dr. Adam Seidner, Hartford, Connecticut-based chief medical officer at Hartford Financial Services Group Inc.
The discussions over nutrition branched out from worker advocacy models in workers comp — where there’s more interaction between injured workers and claims handlers on issues that may not be directly related to a claim but could affect the outcome.
“We know that proper nutrition is a key governor of health,” said Dr. Teresa Bartlett, Troy, Michigan-based managing director, senior medical officer, at third-party administrator Sedgwick Claims Management Services Inc. It’s especially important for the aging workforce, which already faces delayed recovery, she added.\
Nutrition is “one of the key factors that determines if someone will age well, if their bones are healthy, if their muscles are healthy,” she said. “We know that if you’re having a surgery, just like the fact that you shouldn’t be smoking because you won’t recover adequately, if you’re not getting proper nutrition your bones and your skin will not heal properly.”