At the 2015 SIIA National Conference, James Harvey from Sedgwick and Bruce Singleton from MultiPlan presented a session discussing efforts at identifying medical providers who produce the best outcomes. The session was done in a Q/A format. How long have you been using outcomes based networks? Sedgwick started this in California years ago. They have […]

At the 2015 Workers’ Compensation Educational Conference in Orlando, a panel discussed the shift from networks focused on discounts and penetration to that of quality of care and outcomes received by injured workers.  The panel consisted of: Greg Moore – President, Harbor Health Kimberly George – Senior Vice President, Sedgwick Dr Jacob Lazarovic – Chief […]

At the 2015 Harbor Health MPN Medical Directors Meeting, a panel discussed current issues impacting workers’ compensation. The panel consisted of: Dr. Tedd Blatt (moderator) Dr. Craig Uejo Dr. Don Dinwoodie Dr. Minh Nguyen Dr. Kayvon Yadidi Question: What are the things physicians can do or should do to improve workers’ compensation? Physicians need to […]

At the 2015 Harbor Health MPN Medical Director meeting, Dr. John Robinton from One-Call discussed concerns around the use of neurodiagnostic studies. This focused on the use of nerve conduction studies and EMGs. EMGs and nerve conduction studies can provide information about the site of the pathology, the causal relationship to work, and the severity […]

At the 2015 Harbor Health MPN Medical Director Meeting, Dr. Ted Blatt from Harbor Health discussed some of the best practices for physicians in the workers’ compensation system and how outcomes-based networks are changing workers’ compensation. Some of his best practices recommendations included: Engage the patients in thinking about their recovery, not about disability. Focus […]

Dave North from Sedgwick opened the Harbor Health Systems 2015 MPN Medical Directors meeting with a keynote address discussing the need for change in our approach to workers’ compensation claims handling. It is important for us to keep perspective of the scope of what we do in workers’ compensation.  Every day in California, 850 people […]

At the 2015 California Coalition on Workers’ Compensation Conference, Denise Zoe Algire from Safeway and Dr. Lawrence Miller from Anthem Workers’ Compensation presented a session entitled California MTUS: Past, Present Future. The primary goal of adopting treatment guidelines should not be cost containment. The primary goal should be to expedite the injured worker receiving the […]

At the 2015 National Council of Self-Insurers conference, Gregory Cairns from Cairns & Associates discussed the emerging legal issues associated with marijuana. Greg is an attorney from Colorado where recreational marijuana became legal in 2014. Currently, 23 states and DC allow medical marijuana.Washington, Oregon, Alaska and Colorado now allow recreational use of marijuana. Since federal […]

At the WCRI Annual Conference Rebecca Yang (WCRI) and Barry Lipton (NCCI) led a discussion around workers’ compensation fee schedules. Mr. Lipton presented results from an NCCI study on the impact of fee schedules. The question on the effectiveness of fee schedules focuses on how workers’ compensation reimbursement rates compare to that of group health. […]