Human Coaching Versus Claims Automation in Workers’ Comp

Human Coaching Versus Claims Automation in Workers' Comp

Claims organizations do not need to choose between human coaching versus claims automation as if one must replace the other. They need to decide which work should be automated, which decisions require professional judgment, and how claims professionals will develop the skills to use technology without becoming transactional. That distinction affects litigation risk, return-to-work duration, claim severity, regulatory performance, and the injured worker’s experience. Automation can reduce friction in workers’…

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What Drives Claim Severity in Workers’ Comp?

What Drives Claim Severity in Workers' Comp?

A claim can begin with a relatively straightforward injury and still become a high-cost, high-duration file. That is why claim severity cannot be understood as a medical billing issue alone. In workers' compensation, severity reflects the combined financial and human consequences of an injury: medical treatment, indemnity exposure, lost time, litigation, administrative friction, and the worker's ability to regain stability and return to productive employment. For claims organizations, the practical…

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How to Reduce Claim Litigation in Workers’ Comp

How to Reduce Claim Litigation in Workers’ Comp

An injured employee who cannot get a clear answer about their wage benefits, treatment plan, or return-to-work options is not simply dissatisfied. They are more likely to feel unprotected, unheard, and pushed toward attorney involvement. Learning how to reduce claim litigation begins with recognizing that many disputes take shape long before a petition, deposition, or hearing. They begin in the gaps between what an injured worker needs to know and…

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Leading the Change You’re Still Learning

A Free Webinar - November 12, 2026 @ 1:00PM Eastern Most leaders are figuring out AI in real time, right alongside their teams. Deb and Susan Franzen talk about how to lead with honesty when you don't have every answer, and why that might be your biggest advantage. Presenters: Space is limited - Register today!

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When Is a Claim Compensable in Workers’ Comp?

When Is a Claim Compensable in Workers' Comp?

An employee reports shoulder pain after moving inventory near the end of a long shift. There was no dramatic accident, no witness, and a prior medical record mentions intermittent shoulder symptoms. The question, when is a claim compensable, cannot be answered by the diagnosis alone. It requires a disciplined analysis of legal requirements, factual evidence, medical causation, and the employee's actual work experience. For claims professionals, compensability is not merely…

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Straight Outta Workers’ Comp, Episode 27: Urgent Care and Workers’ Comp … Between the ER and Six Weeks From Tuesday (Video)

There are roughly 15,000 urgent care centers in this country handling 200 million patient visits a year, and most of workers’ comp still treats them as the place you go when the ER is full. Dr. Paul Nanda, Chief Medical Officer of TGH Urgent Care powered by Fast Track, joins Mark and Bob to explain what the industry is missing. He makes the case that urgent care is not a…

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Straight Outta Workers’ Comp, Episode 27: Urgent Care and Workers’ Comp … Between the ER and Six Weeks From Tuesday (Audio)

There are roughly 15,000 urgent care centers in this country handling 200 million patient visits a year, and most of workers' comp still treats them as the place you go when the ER is full. Dr. Paul Nanda, Chief Medical Officer of TGH Urgent Care powered by Fast Track, joins Mark and Bob to explain what the industry is missing. He makes the case that urgent care is not a…

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How to Prevent Claim Delays in Workers’ Comp

How to Prevent Claim Delays in Workers' Comp

A claim can begin to lose momentum before the injured worker leaves the worksite. A late incident report, an unclear account of what happened, or a worker who does not know where to seek care can create days of avoidable inactivity. Knowing how to prevent claim delays requires more than faster administration. It requires a claims operation built to make timely, informed, human-centered decisions from the first report through return…

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Work Restriction Communication Guide for Claims Teams

Work Restriction Communication Guide for Claims Teams

A restriction stated as “no lifting over 20 pounds” is not yet a return-to-work plan. It is a clinical instruction that must be interpreted accurately, discussed respectfully, and translated into work that is genuinely available. This work restriction communication guide helps claims professionals, employers, and care partners make that transition without creating confusion, mistrust, or avoidable claim friction. Poorly communicated restrictions can quickly become operational failures. The injured worker may…

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How to Document Work Restrictions Clearly

How to Document Work Restrictions Clearly

A restriction that says “light duty” may sound helpful, but it does not tell a supervisor what work is safe, what work is prohibited, or how long the limitation applies. That gap creates operational confusion at the exact point when an injured employee needs clarity and a claims team needs a credible path back to productive work. Knowing how to document work restrictions turns a vague clinical recommendation into an…

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