Featured Articles

By Dr. Mitch Freeman, PharmD., Chief Clinical Officer, Mitchell The most recent statistic from the National Institute of Drug Abuse highlights the gravity of the opioid crisis: drug overdoses in the United States rose to 72,000 in 2017. Of those overdoses, nearly 49,000 were associated with opioids, whether synthetic or natural. In response, many states… [Read more]

One of the most closely watched cases in the workers’ compensation and utilization review worlds of late has been that of King v. CompPartners, which was recently argued before the California Supreme Court. Among the central issues in the case were not only whether the workers’ compensation system acts as an employee’s exclusive remedy against… [Read more]

We have a drug problem. Americans consume more opioids than anyone else in the world. We are also among the highest consumers of marijuana. As a nation, we continue to rely on passive treatments for chronic conditions, instead of active management. There is widespread acceptance of marijuana in the United States. A recent Quinnipiac University… [Read more]

Do you remember watching movies like “AI” or “Short Circuit” and trying to envision a world where machines could think for themselves? That reality seemed an improbable distant future, but believe it or not, that future is now. Machine learning has become a reality, and we see it in our everyday life as we interact… [Read more]

In workers’ compensation, the medical bill review process should be designed to optimally and strategically capture savings and impact outcomes. However, what you may not realize, especially if you’ve used the same vendor for a number of years, is your process may have lost its edge and, consequently, dull your ability to compete in the marketplace. In today’s climate…[Continue Reading]

Prescription drug management is a complex area marked by constant change, requiring continuous evaluation, development and implementation of strategies to stay ahead of current and future trends. The following topics represent just a few of the ongoing and upcoming drug trends that impact workers’ comp pharmacy management. With treatment guidelines and public opinion pushing back on opioids, current research is exploring…[Continue Reading]

If we look back just 20 years in our history, it is easy to see how far the field of managed physical medicine has come. In years past, carriers and TPAs had no way to effectively manage the utilization of physical therapy, occupational therapy or chiropractic services. Without managed care specialists or clinical treatment guidelines in place, claims professionals often lacked the clinical expertise or the administrative resources to effectively…[Continue Reading]

Josh is the newest employee to join your team as a general laborer and so far, has been a great new hire. He works efficiently and gets tasks done in a timely manner. One day, Josh comes into work, starts his daily routine and pulls a muscle in his back while moving a load of boxes. He is now unable to work and starts down the path of filing a workers’ compensation claim. Sound familiar? [Continue Reading]

Cultural competency has gained a stronger foothold in health care over the past decade. Still, while strategies to provide care without bias have helped reduce disparities among minority populations, the same can’t be said for those in the LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer) community. Lack of trust between patient and provider can have a significant impact in workers’ comp. Statistics from the Institute of Medicine…[Continue Reading]

In workers’ compensation, the independent medical examination (IME) serves as a powerful tool to help claims professionals make difficult determinations, regarding the cause of an injury, appropriate treatment, impairment and disability, as well as return-to-work issues. To make these determinations accurately, the industry needs a quality IME process that preserves the original intent of these exams – which is to obtain…[Continue Reading]