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Helia Healthcare

Helia Healthcare operates 10 skilled nursing facilities

and four premier rehabilitation centers throughout Illinois.

Its 850 caring and compassionate health professionals

provide everything from advanced clinical services to

assistance with medications and mobility.

Employee Safety & Robust Risk Management Key to Helia Healthcare’s Healthy Workers’ Compensation Program

January 2015

PartnershiP results■ 54% drop in total workers’ compensation claim frequency rate

■ 72% reduction in “fall or slip injury” occurrences

■ Earned PMA’s “Award of Excellence in Risk Management” for safety results and communication

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At Helia, therapy is about “getting people back on their feet and doing the things they love.” Dedicated, licensed therapists and assistants use state-of-the-art equipment and the most current techniques in physical, speech, occupational, and recreational therapy to improve patients’ health and well-being. And for patients with chronic illnesses or extreme physical, mental, or emotional disabilities, Helia’s continuing care services meet the medical and personal needs of people who can no longer care for themselves.

So, it’s no wonder that an organization that prides itself on caring for patients also takes very seriously the health and safety of its employees. Since 2008, Helia and its broker, Dean Barsness of Assurance Agency, have partnered with PMA Companies for the organization’s workers’ compensation risk management program.

“This partnership has been a success story from day one,” says Gerard Teckmeyer, Risk Management Services Underwriting Executive, PMA Companies. “From where we started to what we’ve accomplished today, it’s a testament to what teamwork and truly caring for the welfare of your employees can achieve.”

Making Employee Safety the Top PriorityThe Helia Executive Leadership Team made it clear early on that employee safety and welfare topped its list of risk management priorities—and that same focus continues today.

Over the last several policy years, the team has made great strides in communicating to its local facility leadership teams the importance of monitoring and enforcing the requirements established in Helia’s corporate Safety and Risk Management Program. Each of Helia’s fourteen facilities is locally responsible for:

• Following established housekeeping procedures

• Implementingandenforcingidentifiedbestpracticesforpatient transferring, repositioning, and assistance with activities of daily living

• Activelypromotingandenforcingthesafefootwearprogram

• Recognizingandaddressinganyandallpotentialhazardsandbringing them to the attention of the local leadership team

Each facility operates in a “climate of positive leadership.” Local leadership teams not only reinforce safety best practices, but also acknowledge and reward employees for following them.

As employees are reminded of how to work more safely—and recognized for their efforts—the frequency and severity of their injuries have lessened over time.

In fact, as of the end of its 2013 workers’ compensation policy year, Helia’s total frequency rate dropped by 54% from its peak in 2010. And since 2011, the organization hasexperiencedsignificantreductionsinallthreeofitstopfrequency drivers with only a slight exception in the 2012

“struck or injured by” frequency rate. Helia’s overall “struck or injured by” frequency rate, however, has decreased in recent years while the industry average has increased—a testament to each facility’s adherence to the organization’s risk management best practices.

“Strain or injury by” frequency rates also decreased overall by 52% from their peak in the 2011 workers’ compensation policy year to the 2013 workers’ compensation policy year, with a notable 62% drop between 2012 and 2013. Additionally, Helia’s “fall or slip injury” frequency rates have cumulatively declined 72% over the last three policy years.

These reductions along with lower lost-time and medical-only frequency rates are primarily the result of increased safety awareness, accountability, and enforcement at the local facility level. “These are outstanding results,” says Steve Miller, President,HeliaHealthcare.“Theyreflectourcommitmenttokeeping everyone safe and that’s what it’s all about.”

“From where we started to what we’ve

accomplished today, it’s a testament to what

teamwork and truly caring for the welfare of

your employees can achieve.”—Gerard Teckmeyer

Risk Management Services Underwriting Executive, PMA Companies

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Taking the Time to Mark MilestonesThe partnership between Helia and PMA Risk Control has yielded sustainable, bottom line results over the last severalyears.Theircontinuingreview,modification,andcommunication of the organization’s risk management best practices will remain elemental to maintaining company-wide reductions in both injury frequency and severity.

“I have been very impressed by senior management’s commitment to reducing their overall exposures,” says Brent Morgan, Senior Risk Control Consultant (LNHA), PMA Companies. “They also conduct Executive Leadership Team site visits annually to all facilities where they meet with local management and discuss pressing business and risk management challenges.”

In fact, PMA recently awarded Helia with its “Award of Excellence in Risk Management” in recognition of years of steady and continuous safety improvements. Brent Morgan presented it to Steve Miller during a formal presentation to Helia’s Executive Leadership Team.

“The award was a big surprise,” says Miller. “It was an extremely nice recognition that we will display with pride and look upon with appreciation for our past successes and anticipation of many more in our continuing partnership with PMA.”

Miller is no stranger to marking milestones and encouraging people to reach for loftier goals. He personally writes and distributes a monthly state of the union to his facility leadership team that outlines the organization’s performance and that of each facility, as well as the status of new

and existing claims. But most importantly, he recognizes accomplishments, encourages safe work habits, and closes each message by reminding his employees of the most important thing: “Let’s keep everyone safe.”

Keeping the Momentum GoingOne of the keys to a successful risk management program is recognizing that there’s always room for improvement.

Going forward, Helia and PMA, along with Assurance’s newly enhanced Healthcare Safety Advocate Team, are honing in on a few areas where risk management improvements will help sustain the program’s positive momentum.

1. Timely claim reporting with a goal of improving to a best practice guideline of reporting at least 80% of claims within three days. In 2013, Helia’s average reporting time was 9.6 days.

2. Developing an Ergonomic Training & Assessment Tool that can be used at all facilities to help reduce repetitive motion and stretch/strain injuries.

3. Review after-hour treatment options by facility with a goal of meeting a best practice guideline of 80% Preferred ProviderNetwork(PPN)utilizationandbenefitingfromits associated lower cost of care. Helia’s current PPN utilization is 71%.

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Total Frequency Rate vs. Claims Reported(# Non $0 LT & MO Claims per Trended Earned Payroll in Millions)

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3.72 3.873.34

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About PMA Companies

PMA Companies (www.pmacompanies.com) provides risk management solutions and services in the U.S., specializing in workers’ compensation and offering property and casualty insurance. A member of Old Republic Companies, PMA Companies is headquartered in Blue Bell, PA.

Old Republic International Corporation (NYSE: ORI) is one of the nation’s 50 largest publicly held insurance organizations.

PMA Companies includes:

■ PMA Insurance Group, specializing in workers’ compensation, and providing other commercial property & casualty insurance products

■ PMA Management Corp. and PMA Management Corp. of New England, providing results-driven TPA and Risk Services specializing in workers’ compensation and liability

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www.pmacompanies.com

Member of Old Republic Companies

As the Helia/PMA/Assurance partnership continues, they expect continuous improvement will sustain strong results. And that makes Steve Miller quite optimistic. “I stress the importance of safety and sound risk management practices in my monthly updates,” adds Miller. “But I really love when I can share our achievements and congratulate our employees on their hard work—because I couldn’t be more proud of everything that they do to support each other, our patients, and our organization.”

“...I really love when I can share our achievements and congratulate our employees on

their hard work—because I couldn’t be more proud of everything that they do to support

each other, our patients, and our organization.”—Steve Miller

President, Helia Healthcare