How to Choose the Right Telephone Triage Company for Your Workforce
When an employee gets hurt or feels unwell at work, every minute matters. Supervisors may not know whether to call an ambulance, send someone to urgent care, or simply allow the worker to rest. These inconsistent responses can drive up costs, create compliance challenges and, most importantly, put employees at risk.
A telephone triage company changes that. With access to teletriage 24/7, employees receive immediate support from trained health professionals who guide them to the right level of care. By delivering consistent, evidence-based assessments in real time, a triage partner improves outcomes for employees while helping employers control costs and reduce unnecessary offsite visits.
If you are comparing providers, here is what you need to know to choose the right teletriage support for your workforce.
What Does a Telephone Triage Company Do?
Teletriage serves as the first line of response when workplace injuries or illnesses occur. Employees or supervisors call a dedicated line and connect with trained health professionals who follow evidence-based protocols to evaluate symptoms, determine severity and recommend the most appropriate care option.
Instead of defaulting to costly emergency room visits, employees are guided to the right care, at the right time and in the right place. This approach reflects Medcor’s health navigation model, which eliminates unnecessary care, reduces wait times and protects employee wellbeing.
For employers, this service provides clear advantages:
- Consistent incident response across all shifts and locations
- Reduced costs by avoiding unnecessary ER and urgent care visits
- Compliance support with Canadian occupational health and safety requirements
- Improved employee experience through timely, accurate guidance
Must-Have Features in a Telephone Triage Company
Not all teletriage companies are the same. When evaluating providers, look for these must-have features:
- 24/7 Availability: Incidents do not follow a schedule. Your triage partner must be available at all times, including weekends and holidays.
- Evidence-Based Protocols: Standardized protocols ensure accuracy and protect employees and employers.
- Data Integration: Triage records should connect seamlessly with your existing HR, claims or occupational health systems.
- Scalability: Services should adapt to meet the needs of single worksites or national enterprises.
- Quality Oversight: Continuous monitoring and clinical review ensure reliability and accuracy.
Key Questions to Ask When Comparing Triage Vendors
The right questions reveal the value a teletriage company can provide:
- What protocols guide assessments, and how often are they updated?
- What are the average response times, and how quickly will employees receive support?
- Can the triage system integrate with your reporting tools or claims processes?
- What reporting options are available to track outcomes and trends?
- Does the provider serve industries similar to yours?
- What training and quality checks are in place to ensure accuracy and compliance?
These questions help employers go beyond price and evaluate whether a partner can deliver measurable results.
Why Employers Choose Medcor Canada
With more than 20 years of experience, Medcor Canada is a trusted leader in workforce teletriage support. Our services are designed to simplify injury response, reduce employer costs and protect employees.
Here is what sets Medcor apart:
- Always On: Teletriage is available 24/7/365, answering 90% of calls in under 60 seconds.
- Evidence-Based Protocols: Proprietary protocols, refined over millions of calls, ensure consistent, accurate decision making.
- Integrated Reporting: Employers receive clear documentation and insights to support compliance and accountability.
- Proven ROI: By reducing unnecessary offsite visits and avoiding inflated claims, Medcor clients save significantly on workplace injury costs.
- Holistic Workforce Health: Teletriage is part of a larger continuum of occupational health services that includes onsite clinics, mobile health and preventative care.
Just as importantly, Medcor Canada provides care navigation with no conflicts of interest, ensuring employees get the right level of care without unnecessary referrals or added costs. Learn more about why independence matters in employer-sponsored healthcare.
Making the Right Choice
Selecting the right telephone triage company is not just a vendor decision. It is a workforce safety strategy. The right partner ensures employees receive the right care when they need it most, while giving your organization the compliance, cost control and data it needs.
Medcor’s teletriage services are designed to protect both people and business. Contact us today to learn how we can support your workforce.