By Helen Froehlich, CRC, Senior Vice President, Utilization Management, Genex Services As 2020 began, a persistent opioid overdose epidemic was near the forefront of a list of national concerns in the United States. Some 20 million Americans (PDF) are reported to have a substance use disorder and two million of those misuse opioids. There was… [Read more]
Leaders Speak
Neil Lentine Joins Carisk Partners as President, Ancillary and Specialty Services
Miami, FL – Carisk Partners recently announced that Neil Lentine has joined the company as President, Ancillary and Specialty Services. Neil is an accomplished and recognized leader with 35 years’ experience in the Casualty and Disability insurance and third-party administration arena with a primary focus on Workers’ Compensation Claims and Managed Care Services. In his… [Read more]
Michelle Despres: $30,000+ Claim or Proper Ergonomics: The Choice is Simple
By Michelle Despres, PT, CEAS II, REAS, CETS, Vice President of Physical Therapy, One Call When COVID-19 hit, the silver lining for many of us was the opportunity to work from home. No commute, casual wear, and the simple comforts of being in our own home made the uncertainties of the pandemic a little bit… [Read more]
Thomas Warsop: How to Survive the Pandemic Era: Stick Together
By Thomas Warsop, CEO, One Call “We are at our finest when we take care of each other.” While I can’t take credit for these wise words from American author Katherine Center, they’re worth repeating as we approach the one-year anniversary of the declaration of the global pandemic. I’m sure many of you would agree… [Read more]
Dr. Mitch Freeman: Pain Management: Weighing Pharmacy Treatment Decisions
By Dr. Mitch Freeman, Pharm.D., Chief Clinical Officer, Mitchell Pharmacy Solutions Pain is one of the most frequently occurring and challenging aspects of treatment observed in workers’ compensation claims. The experience of pain is extremely individual and safe, effective treatments for any person can be difficult to predict. Opioids, while offering some relief for many… [Read more]
Dr. Mitch Freeman: Skeletal Muscle Relaxants: Increased Prescribing A Concern for Workers’ Comp?
By Dr. Mitch Freeman, Pharm.D., Chief Clinical Officer, Mitchell Pharmacy Solutions Drug overdoses accelerated in 2020, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reporting more than 81,000 overdose deaths occurring in the twelve month period ending in May 2020, with (non-prescription) synthetic opioids leading the increase. With these staggering numbers in mind and… [Read more]
Claudia Rial: Are You Risking Unnecessary Time and Expense on Claims with Hearing Impaired Employees?
By Claudia Rial, MBA, Vice President of Operations, MTI America Communication is essential to exchange ideas, information, build and maintain personal and business relationships and to promote understanding. Hearing loss impairs and disrupts interpersonal communications and interferes with quality of life on many levels, but especially for communications relating to medical care. 48 Million Hearing… [Read more]
Claudia Rial: 5 Valuable Reasons to Use VRI in Workers’ Comp Right Now
By Claudia Rial, MBA, Vice President of Operations, MTI America Here is an interesting statistic from the US Census: There are approximately 19 million Limited English Proficient (LEP) workers, which is nearly one in 10 working-age adults. Not All LEP Individuals Are Immigrants! Did you know that not all LEP individuals are immigrants? According to… [Read more]
Matt Ginsberg-Jaeckle: How Can You Achieve the Best Outcomes If You and an Injured Worker Don’t Share the Same Language?
By Matt Ginsberg-Jaeckle, MA, CHI, Associate Director of Global Patient Services Shirley Ryan AbilityLab (formerly Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago) Previously, I addressed the singular role of the interpreter — the only type of healthcare professional that is part of every conversation for patients with Limited English Proficiency (LEP). For these patients, the entirety of their… [Read more]
Matt Ginsberg-Jaeckle: How Can You Understand Injured Workers If You Don’t Speak Their Language?
By Matt Ginsberg-Jaeckle, MA, CHI, Associate Director of Global Patient Services Shirley Ryan AbilityLab (formerly Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago) Only one type of healthcare professional is part of every conversation patients have while receiving care. It’s not a nurse, not a case manager, certainly not a doctor … Need a hint? It’s someone who acts… [Read more]