Developing an Effective Safety Training Program
The speaker for this 2016 WCI session was Normagene Dmytriw, CPSI, CPLP, Senior Safety and Occupational Health Specialist, Broward County Government, Risk Management Safety and Occupational Health Section. This presentation discussed the five critical steps needed for an effective safety training program. Safety training is an investment that when done well, improves the overall safety of the workforce, resulting in fewer accidents, incidents, and workers’ compensation claims. In order for safety training to deliver a high value to an organization and to its workers, it must be a comprehensive program. The five steps in an effective safety training program are a
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Using Data to Drive Operational Solutions
Claims management is a data-driven business. In this session at WCI’s 2016 Workers’ Compensation Educational Conference, panelists highlighted the outlook related to data for managing workers’ compensation programs. Speakers included: – Scott Rogers, Executive Vice-President, Operations, Sedgwick – Dr. Adam Seidner, National Medical Director, Travelers – Cliff Belliveau, Vice President, Business Intelligence, myMatrixx Insurance carriers, TPAs and service providers are embracing big data strategies to improve both experience and outcomes. The key to creating effective operational solutions is isolating and harnessing the data and information needed to achieve performance. The amount of data available today, and the technology that allows
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2025 Outlook: Forecasts and Predictions from the CEO’s Desk
It is interesting and also imperative to look beyond today’s service demands and activities and project well into the future to anticipate needs and opportunities in the years ahead. We heard from the leaders of three leading third party administrator claims organizations. They are also the three immediate past keynote speakers from the WCI conference. Each presented visionary viewpoints on what they believe will be the most significant developments in our industry. Speakers for this session at the 2016 WCI conference were: Moderator: Charles F. Martin, Managing Director, Marsh – Global Claim Practice, National Claim Practice Leader, Chief Claim Officer,
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Improving the Image of Workers’ Compensation
Workers’ compensation has come under the public eye in a very negative way. Yet, there really are success stories and other vignettes where workers’ compensation did work, where people did recover and were provided all that the law allows and more. So how does the industry put its best foot forward? This session at WCI’s 2016 Workers’ Compensation Educational Conference examined how the industry can show the positive face of workers’ compensation. Speakers included: Melissa A. Dunn, Vice President and Managing Director, Helmsman Management Services Rebecca Shafer, President, AMAXX Risk Solutions, Inc. Michael Grabell, Journalist, ProPublica Richard Victor, Senior Fellow,
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Winning Strategies for Workers’ Compensation Risk Management
This session at WCI’s 2016 Workers’ Compensation Educational Conference highlighted program strategies from the three winners of the 2016 Excellence in Workers’ Compensation Risk Management Award. SMS Holdings Corporation SMS Holdings provides full housekeeping services for large locations like airports, stadiums and malls. They created a nationwide safety program called Stop. Think. Act. They specifically chose a relatable term for employees, rather than a confusing insurance term, and branded items like posters and wristbands to distribute company wide. They have a multilingual workforce, so it was important to translate the safety message for all employees and relied on direct supervisors
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Pre-Employment, Post-Offer Testing – Strategies and Best Practices
This 2016 WCI session’s speaker was Bob Patterson, MPT, MBA, CAE, Executive Vice President/Co-Founder, Briotix Inc., Thousand Oaks, CA. Pre-employment, post-offer (PEPO) candidate testing has proven to be an effective means of reducing incidence rates and workers’ compensation costs. This session highlighted the nature of this risk management tool with regard to legal issues, implementation strategies, expected outcomes, clinical relevance, and a review of some case studies. Mr. Patterson discussed PEPO and its relevancy. Some of the reasons a company would want a PEPO testing are that the company might be experiencing the following: High injury rates High turnover Increased
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An Update on Medical Marijuana
Medicinal marijuana is expanding rapidly and recreational marijuana is making a serious, and perhaps inevitable, run at being legal. So where do we stand from a medical perspective? In this session at WCI’s 2016 Workers’ Compensation Educational Conference, Donald Bucklin, MD, Medical Review Officer at U.S. Healthworks, provided a marijuana status update. There are 483 chemicals in marijuana, 84 are cannabinoids including THC and 50+ are known carcinogens. THC has to be dried or burned to be active. Today’s marijuana (21%) is far more potent than that used by a generation ago (3%). Marijuana has been illegal for 85 years.
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Healthy Employees are Happy and Productive Employees: Keeping your “Bottom Line” Healthy
This 2016 WCI session’s presenter was Freddie Kaye, PhD, LD, a nationally known clinical nutritionist. For more than 35 years, Dr. Kaye has taught physicians diet therapy and counselled “health challenged” people who are overweight and suffer from Type 2 diabetes, hypertension and have elevated lipids and has helped people whose problems are related to their lifestyle, behavior and habits. Dr. Kay said 70% of the population is overweight. Being overweight or obese contributes to developing Type 2 diabetes, various types of cancers and many other health issues. Most popular diet plans focus on the short-term and just don’t work.
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Managing Workers’ Compensation Claims in a Diverse Workforce
Workers’ compensation professionals are challenged to manage claims from employees with a variety of backgrounds, skills, abilities and demographics. This session at WCI’s 2016 Workers’ Compensation Educational Conference discussed the challenges and opportunities that a diversified workforce creates in workers’ compensation claims management. Speakers included: – Michele Adams, Vice President, Risk Management Services, Walt Disney World Resort – Max Koonce, Senior Vice President – Client Services, Sedgwick Claims Management Services – Loyd A. Hudson, Integrated Disability Manager, American Electric Power Company The workforce continues to evolve and diversify with an increase in older workers delaying retirement, work forces becoming more
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Difficulties of Surgery in Workers’ Compensation
As the medical costs of workers’ compensation claims have risen sharply in recent years, the importance of understanding the role surgery plays in a claim has grown. This session at WCI’s 2016 Workers’ Compensation Educational Conference discussed various delays and pitfalls related to surgeries in workers’ compensation. Speakers included: – Cheryl Gulasa, Vice President, AmeriSys – Dr. Steven Weber, Board Certified Orthopedic Surgeon, Orlando Orthopedic Center – Michael Costello, Regional Director, Tenet Healthcare – David Anderson, Vice President of Operations, Orchid Medical Continuum of Care Because you are working with various stakeholders, there is a big barrier to getting surgery
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