Lakewood Ranch, Fla. (September 19, 2022) – WorkCompCollege.com has announced UFG Insurance as a new Gold Associate Partner. UFG has been actively developing a more thorough approach to claims management that embraces a “whole person” recovery philosophy and believes this new methodology aligns quite well with the Workers’ Recovery Professional (WRP) Certification program being developed at WorkCompCollege.com.
As part of the partnership, 30 UFG employees will go through the program to earn WRP certification.
Mark Pew, provost for Workers’ Compensation Educational Services, LLC, parent company of WorkCompCollege.com, says, “UFG Insurance and WorkCompCollege are a perfect fit. UFG Workers Compensation Claims Supervisor Dawn Hays has worked extensively with us and is instrumental in our development. As a trustee, a dean and a faculty member, her input and philosophy regarding workers’ recovery has had a strong influence on both organizations.”
“It’s my pleasure and honor to collaborate with some of the most esteemed experts in the workers compensation industry through WorkCompCollege.com,” explains UFG’s Dawn Hays. “The partnership with their preeminent WRP certification places UFG at the heart of innovation and transformation of workers’ compensation claims handling through whole person recovery management.”
For over a decade, there has been growing recognition of the need for change in the way injuries and illnesses that are the result of an occupational incident are managed. Cocooned in a highly regulated environment and driven by economic pressures, the workers compensation system (in many ways) has evolved into one that is process-driven, where the humanity of the people served is not often given proper consideration. This contributes to expensive litigation and unnecessary delays that cause stakeholder satisfaction to lack, along with situations that are needlessly expensive and often produce inferior results.
Voices have been calling for better ways to manage claims and improve outcomes for injured employees. Different names and phrases have been used to define this idea – workers recovery, advocacy-based claims management, bio-psychosocial adoption, whole person care – but all center around the same critical realization. Treating the entire person, understanding the psychology and thought process of the injured employee and employing clear, concise and consistent communication methods will improve clinical outcomes while reducing friction and cost. Simply put, restoring humanity to the process is a win-win for all involved.
WorkCompCollege.com is a community-driven effort designed to address that situation and will help continue the trend towards lower costs and improved results through education, information exchange and mentorship.
The core certification will consist of content across nine schools of discipline. They are:
- General Studies.
- School of Claims.
- School of Humanities.
- School of Legal.
- School of Medical Management.
- School of Regulatory/Legislative.
- School of Return to Work.
- School of Risk Management.
- School of Stakeholders.
The base certification curriculum is scheduled to be launched mid-November 2022. State-specific, discipline-specific, master’s and other advanced programs are in the planning stages for development over the next year. In addition, the school will offer other services such as an alumni association, job placement services and more.
###
About UFG
Founded in 1946 as United Fire & Casualty Company, United Fire Group, Inc. (UFG, Nasdaq: UFCS), through its insurance company subsidiaries, is engaged in the business of writing property and casualty insurance. Through our subsidiaries, we are licensed as a property and casualty insurer in 50 states, plus the District of Columbia, and we are represented by approximately 1,000 independent agencies. A.M. Best Company assigns a rating of “A” (Excellent) for members of the United Fire & Casualty Group. For more information about UFG, visit ufginsurance.com.
About WorkCompCollege.com
WorkCompCollege.com is a community-driven effort to improve the workers’ compensation industry through comprehensive education infused with a whole-person recovery management mindset. The Workers’ Recovery Professional (WRP) certification is comprised of meaningful curriculum in nine schools: Claims, General Studies, Humanities, Legal, Medical Management, Regulatory/Legislative, Return to Work, Risk Management and Stakeholders. A diverse, (in)credible team of School Deans and Faculty deliver the courses in an asynchronous virtual campus environment. A service of Workers’ Compensation Educational Services, LLC and the brainchild of Robert H. Wilson, Donald A. Abrams and Mark Pew with advice and support from a distinguished Board of Trustees, this new educational platform is revolutionizing how all stakeholders within the system become more proficient, professional and passionate about their role in an injured employee’s journey to return-to-work. To learn more please go to WorkCompCollege.com.
Skip to content