In 2024, workplace injuries cost U.S. employers $54.9 billion in lost productivity, $36.8 billion in medical expenses, $64.5 billion in administrative expenses and 69 million lost days, according to the National Safety Council. Many of these costs grow when injured employees experience gaps in care after leaving a healthcare facility.
A delayed visit, a missed therapy session, or a breakdown in communication between providers can slow recovery and extend Workers’ Compensation claims. For third-party administrators (TPAs), employers and claims managers, fragmented care often leads to higher costs, longer claim duration and reduced visibility into patient progress.
At BrightStar Care®, we help close these gaps through RN-led, in-home nursing support. We bring care directly into the home, helping organizations improve continuity and support smoother claim progression and recovery.
The Hidden Cost of Fragmented Workers’ Comp Care
How Missed Visits and Delays Extend Claims
Even small delays can create major setbacks in Workers’ Compensation.
A recent study published in the Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation found that delays between injury and treatment are linked to longer disability periods and slower recovery. Patients who do not receive timely care are more likely to experience ongoing pain and delayed return-to-work outcomes.
These delays can also increase financial pressure on employers and TPAs. The average lost-time claim severity rose 6% in 2024 due to higher medical costs and wages. In the most severe cases, medical expenses made up as much as 90% of total costs.
This makes timely, coordinated care even more important for supporting recovery and controlling claim costs.
Each delay can increase medical expenses, extend claim duration and make return-to-work timelines less predictable.
Fragmented Handoffs Between Care Settings
Workers’ Comp recovery often involves care across several settings. A patient may move from a healthcare facility to outpatient therapy and then home recovery within days.
When communication between providers is limited, important details can be missed.
These gaps may lead to:
- Confusion about medications or dosage
- Missed follow-up appointments
- Unclear discharge instructions
- Delayed response to warning signs
Fragmented handoffs make recovery harder for patients and create less visibility for employers and TPAs trying to manage claims effectively.
Common Care Gaps That Delay Recovery
Scheduling Failures and Access Barriers
Many Workers’ Comp care gaps begin with simple access issues. In some markets, provider shortages make it difficult for injured employees to schedule timely follow-up care. A 2024 report from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce found that healthcare workforce shortages continue to affect patient access across the country.
Geographic limitations can create additional barriers. Injured workers in rural areas or underserved markets may have fewer provider options and longer wait times between appointments.
These access challenges can lead to:
- Delays between discharge and first visit
- Missed therapy appointments
- Gaps in follow-up care
- Longer recovery timelines
Even short appointment gaps can disrupt treatment plans and slow recovery progress.
For employers and TPAs, these delays may increase claim costs, extend time away from work and make claim management more difficult.
Poor Communication Between Stakeholders
Workers’ Compensation claims often involve several groups, including employers, TPAs, case managers, physicians and nursing teams.
When these groups are not sharing information consistently, care can become fragmented.
Siloed reporting between employers, TPAs and care providers may lead to:
- Delayed updates on patient progress
- Missed changes in the patient’s condition
- Confusion around treatment plans
- Gaps in follow-up care
Without clear communication between stakeholders, small issues can become larger delays that extend recovery and increase claim costs.
Strong coordination and timely reporting help organizations make faster decisions, improve continuity of care and maintain claim momentum.
How In-Home Nursing Closes the Gap
Consistent, RN-Led Care at the Point of Recovery
Recovery outcomes often depend on what happens after a patient returns home.
Without consistent follow-up care, patients can miss medications, skip therapy exercises or struggle to follow discharge instructions. These gaps can slow recovery and increase the risk of setbacks.
In-home nursing helps reduce this variability by bringing RN-led care directly to the patient.
BrightStar Care nurses support continuity by helping patients:
- Follow physician-directed treatment plans
- Stay on schedule with medications and therapy
- Understand discharge instructions
- Identify problems before they become more serious
Regular in-home visits also help improve adherence to care plans. When patients receive ongoing support and guidance, they are more likely to stay engaged in recovery and complete recommended treatment.
This consistent oversight helps reduce disruptions in care, support safer recovery and improve claim continuity for employers and TPAs.
Real-Time Reporting and TPA Coordination
Clear communication is essential for keeping Workers’ Compensation claims on track.
When reporting is delayed or inconsistent, employers and TPAs may not know if a patient missed visits, stopped following the care plan or developed new recovery challenges.
In-home nursing helps close these communication gaps through transparent documentation and ongoing coordination. BrightStar Care works closely with TPAs, employers and case managers to provide timely updates that may include:
- Visit confirmations and care documentation
- Changes in patient condition
- Missed appointments or scheduling concerns
- Updates on treatment adherence and recovery progress
This real-time visibility helps stakeholders respond more quickly when issues arise.
Claim Impact and Cost Savings
Shorter Claim Duration Through Continuous Care
Continuous care helps injured employees recover faster and return to work sooner.
When care is delayed or inconsistent, recovery slows. Missed visits, gaps between appointments and poor coordination can extend claim duration and increase total costs.
Industry research shows that coordinated, in-network care improves outcomes. According to a 2026 study from the Workers’ Compensation Research Institute [login required to access], claims treated within provider networks had:
- 26% lower total costs than out-of-network care
- 20% faster time to first office visit
- 1.5 fewer weeks of temporary disability durations
In-home nursing supports the same type of continuity by reducing gaps between discharge, follow-up visits and home recovery.
Key Workers’ Comp metrics that improve with consistent in-home nursing include:
- Total claim cost
- Time to first follow-up visit after discharge
- Time from injury to treatment start
- Lost-time or disability duration
- Return-to-work timeline
- Missed or delayed visit rates
- Care plan adherence rates
- Reinjury or complication rates
When these improve, recovery is more consistent and claims are less likely to stall due to avoidable gaps in care.
By supporting patients between provider visits and reinforcing care plans at home, in-home nursing helps maintain continuity and reduce unnecessary extensions in claim duration.
Avoiding Reinjury and Secondary Complications
Reinjury and complications are common reasons Workers’ Comp claims last longer than expected.
When injured employees do not have consistent support during recovery, small issues can turn into bigger setbacks. This may include returning to activity too soon, missing warning signs or not fully following a care plan.
In-home nursing helps reduce these risks through proactive monitoring. BrightStar Care nurses can:
- Watch for early signs of complications
- Reinforce safe movement and activity limits
- Support medication and treatment adherence
- Flag changes in condition for faster follow-up
This ongoing oversight helps catch problems early, before they lead to reinjury or delayed healing.
By identifying risks sooner and supporting safer recovery at home, in-home nursing helps reduce setbacks that can extend claim duration and increase costs for employers and TPAs.
BrightStar Care’s Workers’ Comp Model
Rapid Deployment and Employer Collaboration
BrightStar Care is built to start in-home nursing quickly after referral or discharge. This helps reduce delays that can slow recovery and extend Workers’ Comp claims.
We work closely with employers, TPAs and case managers to align care plans from day one, including:
- Fast onboarding after injury or discharge
- Care plans aligned with employer and TPA goals
- Clear communication across all stakeholders
- Ongoing updates to support claim tracking
We act as an extension of your existing team, supporting recovery while keeping claims organized and moving forward.
Nationwide Coverage With Local Clinical Accountability
BrightStar Care provides nationwide coverage through a network of more than 400 locations across 41 states, supported by local clinical oversight.
This model ensures:
- Reliable in-home nursing across regions
- Consistent care standards in every market
- Local RN accountability for patient care
- Scalable support for multi-state organizations
This combination of national reach and local oversight helps employers and TPAs deliver dependable Workers’ Comp care wherever injured employees are located.
Improve Continuity and Reduce Workers’ Comp Care Gaps
Care gaps can delay recovery, increase costs and create frustration for patients and employers.
BrightStar Care helps TPAs, employers and claims managers close gaps in care while supporting better claim performance and patient recovery. We bring RN-led care into the home, helping organizations improve continuity, strengthen communication and reduce unnecessary recovery delays.
Explore how a BrightStar Care partnership helps you reduce Workers’ Comp care gaps, improve coordination and support stronger outcomes across every stage of recovery.