As the mother of two teenagers, I am very impressed with the television and public awareness campaign to take the “no texting while driving” pledge. Based on the article “Medical Trends to Watch” in Risk Management, maybe employers should consider expanding this campaign into the workforce.

Accidents while driving, and the liabilities when these occur on the job, was identified as one of the medical trends to watch in this article. Texting is not only the only safety hazard. Anyone who’s ever tried to navigate by looking at the GPS screen has probably had more than one narrow escape. Then there are radios, MP3 players, cell phones, CD’s and all the unfamiliar equipment in rental cars. Playing “automotive DJ” with these devices while in a moving vehicle is a safety roulette wheel.

Compounding the danger is the fact that more and more people are using medications, either for an injury or for chronic condition, impairing their ability to react quickly and make good judgments. Speaking of injuries, another trend is the growing number of people getting joint replacements. According to the Center for Disease Control, between 1996 and 2006 hip replacements increased by one third and knee replacements increased 70 percent.

Prosthetics for lost limbs are now mini-computers, with an astonishing array of features to help the injured person regain as much mobility and functionality as technology can allow. Unfortunately, these enhancements come at a cost, so care managers are advised to perform due diligence and get multiple opinions when authorizing a suitable replacement prosthetic.

What do you see as medical trends impacting the workplace and workers’ compensation in 2014?

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