Featured Articles

When a complex injury case is in dispute, an Independent Medical Examination (IME) has long been the tool in our claims management arsenal to bring about resolution. IMEs help resolve a number of issues. They can assist in determining if the claimant’s condition was caused by the workplace incident; if a recommended course of treatment is…[Continue Reading]

Telemedicine services designed for workers’ compensation and group health plans will have similar benefits, but there are many additional components that must be included to provide a quality program for patients with workplace injuries. Telemedicine services include clinical consultations with nurses via telephone and virtual physician visits using…[Continue Reading]

In our workers’ compensation world, there are an ever-increasing number of media sources trying to grab our attention. Whether in the form of a magazine article, LinkedIn post, webinar or whitepaper, the industry is blessed to have so many important information vehicles to help you deliver the best services to injured workers. While more is often better, it doesn’t solve a significant problem many of us face: time. How can we keep up…[Continue Reading]

Opioid analgesics are commonly prescribed to treat the pain associated with workers’ compensation and auto no-fault injuries. These medications have an important role in pain management treatment and therapy and may be effective for certain indications, including acute pain not relieved by non-opioid analgesics, pain associated with various types of…[Continue Reading]

In the consumer marketplace, customer experience is king. Online retailer Amazon is an example of a company that has long excelled in their ability to adapt and innovate in ways that optimize the shopping experience for their customers. And this begins with a data-driven understanding of what’s working vs what isn’t. One must accurately and continuously measure…[Continue Reading]

Optum is pleased to release the latest edition of Clinical Info, encompassing noteworthy changes to medications and guidelines affecting the workers’ compensation industry. Within this edition you will read about the ongoing efforts to curb opioid analgesic misuse and abuse and the use of adjuvant medications for chronic pain. In addition, a list of…[Continue Reading]

In an effort to reduce the epidemic number of overdose-related deaths and injuries associated with the misuse of opioid analgesics, many states have been looking to enact legislation to help curb this trend. One way states have tried to accomplish this is to establish prescribing quantity limits on opioid analgesics. They are also establishing…[Continue Reading]

Today, 25 states and the District of Coumbia provide statutory language that allows for the comprehensive use of medical marijuana.1 With growing legal momentum for medical marijuana, it is no longer a question of if it will impact workers’ comp, but when and how. So now the question becomes: what might that future look like…[Continue Reading]

Throughout 2016 Optum is offering a comprehensive continuing education program in which its experts share actionable insight on workers’ compensation trends and challenges. Following each presentation, they will provide Key Takeaways reiterating guidance, that when applied, lead to better outcomes. Opioid analgesics have an important place…[Continue Reading]

The high prevalence of chronic pain coupled with the risks associated with the use of prescription medications, particularly opioid analgesics to treat pain, has led to increasing interest in the development of nonpharmacologic treatment options. One such nonpharmacologic treatment category, electromedical devices, is sometimes overlooked. While the different…[Continue Reading]