Injury Management Plans

What is an Injury Management Plan (IMP)?

Why is an Injury Management Plan required?

How can I be involved in the Injury Management Planning process?

When should my Injury Management Plan be updated?

What are my Injury Management Plan (IMP) goals?

What is an Injury Management Plan (IMP)?

An IMP is a written plan which includes key aspects of your recovery relating to activities of daily living, treatment, rehabilitation and return to work. The IMP is used to facilitate a safe return to health and work. The IMP is developed by the claims service provider (CSP), in collaboration with yourself, your employer (when appropriate) and treating parties (when appropriate).

Why is an Injury Management Plan required?

The IMP ensures all key claim stakeholders are clear in terms of goal(s) being worked towards, actions that are being taken to assist, responsible parties, and timeframes. The IMP can help to ensure ownership, commitment, and that all are on the same page.

How can I be involved in the Injury Management Planning process?

The insurer must develop an IMP in collaboration with claim stakeholders, including yourself. You can assist the insurer to formulate your tailored goals by discussing with your case manager details of your recovery and what you would like to work towards.

IMP goal examples:

• Social goals: a social-based goal is important to keep connections whilst you recover. This might be to go for a walk or grab coffee with a family member or friend.
• Self-care and activities of daily living goals: these goals are centred around improving your self-care and activities of daily living to the same level as before your injury. Examples could include participating in yoga or mediation or cleaning your house or apartment.
• Return to work-based goals: to return to work with your previous employer or new employer or perhaps whilst recovering you may be participating in volunteering.
• Treatment goals: specific treatment (e.g. psychology or psychiatrist sessions) you are attending to assist with your recovery.

When should my Injury Management Plan be updated?

• Day 7: With your initial liability letter
• Day 20: case manager will call to complete a collaborative tailored IMP
• Your IMP can be updated at any time if there is a substantial change in direction during your recovery. This could include a change in return-to-work goal, referral to rehabilitation services, upgrade, or downgrade in capacity and if surgery or treatment is approved.

If you feel that the content of your IMP is incorrect, or that the claims service provider (CSP) may not have the full and complete picture of your claim currently, you should reach out to the insurer to discuss. The content of the IMP is only as good as the information that is provided by you and other key claim stakeholders. 

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What are my Injury Management Plan (IMP) goals?

An important part of setting IMP goals is ensuring you feel able to work towards goals that are achievable and meaningful to you. IMP goals should be specific to your recovery and consistent with the available medical and treatment information.

The goals do not have to be excessive or large, achieving small incremental goals can often represent the first steps in your recovery, as well as helping to keep you connected to and focused on your larger goals.

IMP goals can include:

• Treatment (e.g. type of treatment, goals of therapy and frequency)
• Rehabilitation (e.g. participating in rehabilitation support or appointments)
• Safe and durable return to work (e.g. specific return to work goal and steps required to achieve upgrade in capacity).
• Activities of daily living (ADLs) (e.g. everyday tasks such as work, domestic and leisure activities).

Your IMP should consider goals about activities of daily living, which can be set in combination with recovery and treatment goals. These goals take a holistic view of recovery and are often important first steps in your recovery.

These goals may include:

• Participation in your local community or developing your relationships with friends and family. For example, phoning an old friend once a week to catch up or taking a walk around your local neighbourhood.
• Your treating psychologist or nominated treating doctor can be important figures in holistic goal setting as they know what specific support you need to recover.