Leaders Speak

By Raja Sundaram, CEO, Plethy If a patient is engaged in their recovery, all is well. If not, recovery is delayed, difficult and costly. Too often that central fact gets lost, attention diverted by cool new technology that promises to educate, measure, report, and hasten recovery using artificial intelligence, wearables, wifi, smartphones, and algorithms. A… [Read more]

By Raja Sundaram, CEO, Plethy Physical therapy is critical for recovery. Studies show that PT is seen as a potential pain management approach in addition to its traditional role in physical recovery. Nonetheless, payers are scrutinizing PT more than ever, seeking ways to maximize the impact. Perhaps the most important component of physical therapy is… [Read more]

By Tate Rice, PT, DPT, MBA, Director of Product Management, Healthesystems For claims organizations, it’s a perfect storm of factors: an aging claims workforce, a shortage of incoming new claims talent, and pandemic pressures that include disrupted recruitment and training opportunities, impacts on employee mental and physical wellness, and, for some organizations, the nuances of… [Read more]

By Silvia Sacalis, PharmD, VP of Clinical Services, Healthesystems Pharmacy is an incredibly dynamic space. It’s one of the reasons I personally was drawn to the practice, and why I continue to have a fulfilling career in it after 17 years. It’s also one of the reasons that continuous analysis, consultation and strategic refinement of… [Read more]

By Linda Colsen, Senior VP of Product Management, One Call When we think about providing much-needed transportation to an injured worker during their recovery, the obvious choices come to mind – vans, sedans, and even ridesharing. But how often do we consider air ambulance? Perhaps the first thought that comes to mind is, “That’ll be… [Read more]

By Linda Colsen, Senior VP of Product Management, One Call Picture this – a well-laid-out recovery plan, a first-class physical therapy (PT) clinic, experienced therapists, and state-of-the-art equipment. The perfect start to an injured worker’s recovery journey, right? Yes, but only if the most important element – the injured worker himself – is present. Missed… [Read more]

By Nikki Wilson, PharmD/MBA, Director, Clinical Products, Mitchell Pharmacy Solutions In last week’s column we discussed fentanyl misuse leading to overdose and death, often occurring through illicit channels. However, there are legitimate, therapeutic uses for fentanyl, specifically for pain management, which can appear in workers’ compensation claims. That said, fentanyl products make up only about… [Read more]

By Nikki Wilson, Pharm.D./MBA, Director, Clinical Products, Mitchell Pharmacy Solutions Each day, we hear more heartbreaking accounts of individuals and families impacted by the opioid epidemic. To address this crisis, more aggressive clinical intervention and opioid management programs are being adopted, and opioid use has steadily decreased for workers’ compensation patients. However, according to an… [Read more]

By Joe Paduda, Principal, Health Strategy Associates After last week’s column on electronic payments, I heard from several colleagues in the work comp claims business, all chiding me for my lack of enthusiasm about implementing e-payments for everyone. Their argument came down to “if we’re going to do this, we should go all in…because…efficiency!” Two… [Read more]

By Joe Paduda, Principal, Health Strategy Associates The workers’ comp industry is highly mature with way more capacity than needed. Premiums are declining, shrinking administrative budgets. Front-line staff are getting older, more expensive, and much more mobile. Every insurer and TPA has lots of open adjusting slots – and little chance of filling them. Meanwhile… [Read more]