![1.3 million employees treated in networks since 2006; New claims 47% network, 53% non-network; medical costs at 18 months are 12% lower in networks; average weeks off work in network - 5, out of network - 8.](../../artwork/dwc/rc221.png)
Key findings
![Percentage of New Claims in Workers’ Compensation Networks 2010-2022](../../artwork/dwc/rc222.png)
From 2012 to 2016, networks had higher average medical costs per claim for initial care, compared to non-network claims. Since 2017, non-network average medical costs per claim at six months post-injury had been approximately 4 percent higher on average than network claims. The difference narrowed in 2022. Networks’ average medical costs increased 14% in 2022.
![Average Medical Costs, Six Months Post-Injury](../../artwork/dwc/rc223.png)
![Average Medical Costs, 18 Months Post-Injury](../../artwork/dwc/rc224.png)
Since 2012, network claims consistently report higher return-to-work rates than non-network claims.
![Percentage of Injured Employees Who Reported That They Went Back to Work](../../artwork/dwc/rc225.png)
Physical functioning measures a person’s ability to do everyday tasks. Mental functioning measures a person’s ability to think and reason.
In 2022, network claims mostly reported higher physical and mental functioning scores than non-network claims. This generally means that injured employees who received network medical care reported better physical functioning and quality of life outcomes than non-network injured employees.
![Average Physical Functioning Scores](../../artwork/dwc/rc226.png)
![Average Mental Functioning Scores](../../artwork/dwc/rc227.png)
![Average Number of Days from Date of Injury to Date of First Non-Emergency Treatment (derived from administrative medical data)](../../artwork/dwc/rc228.png)