Here is a surprise for each of you, artificial intelligence (AI) is present and growing within workers’ compensation. The concern for many is whether this is a good thing. Given the complexities of workers’ compensation, and with the understanding that this is simply one of many tools, it would be my opinion that yes, the use of AI is a good thing for workers’ compensation. The reality is that the…
To paraphrase that old real estate saying, location, location, and of course location. It is noted that carpal tunnel syndrome and cubital tunnel syndrome are two very common clinical situations involving nerves of the upper extremity. Carpal tunnel syndrome compromises the median nerve at the wrist and is indicative of a compressive neuropathy underneath the carpal ligament. Cubital tunnel syndrome also noted is a compressive neuropathy compromises the ulnar nerve…
The tendon is the structure that attaches a specific muscle to a bone. Each muscle has a thin fascia sheath which comes together at the end of the muscle forming a tendon. This tendon attaches to a bone enabling the bone to move in a prescribed fashion. Tendons are tough, rope-like structures that have a covering similar to a paper wrapping around a straw. The individual structures of the tendon…
I am very proud to say I work with workers’ compensation adjusters on a daily basis. One of the most important aspects of my career is to aid those individuals in their respective medical dictation so that they are enabled to do the best possible job as workers’ compensation professionals. Having a competency in the basics of medical knowledge plays a crucial role in investigating the claim, handling the claim,…
A guilty pleasure of mine is scrolling through my Facebook feed. While doing this yesterday, I saw one posting that all workers’ compensation was evil. As an individual who’s been providing cost containment services to the workers’ compensation world for 33 years, I took exception. I was thinking about how is this person perceiving workers compensation as being evil? The first thought that came to mind is that this individual…
The television news has reported that the United States is under a significant heatwave. More than 100 million people will be affected by this climate issue. This suggests a fairly common medical malady within the Worker’s Compensation system and that is heat injuries. There are three types of heat injuries, the first being heat cramps, the second heat exhaustion and the third (and most severe) heat stroke. Heat injuries occur…
Subsequent to the pandemic, a relatively new concept in the world of healthcare delivery was employed. I am speaking about telemedicine. Telemedicine refers to the use of all possible communication modalities, most commonly the Internet, and specific portals so that a face-to-face virtual encounter is completed. Thus, the question becomes what is the relative utility of telemedicine? First and foremost, increased and more access to all appropriate care can be…
If you’ve read my previous posts, you know that I believe in strictly following the law and using evidence-based medicine throughout the workers’ compensation process. I recently attended the TDI/DWC conference and went to a lecture on a new idea for managing claim files called Whole Person Recovery Management. This approach prioritizes the well-being of the injured employee, which is a refreshing concept. As members of the work comp community,…
As any experienced individual in the worker’s compensation system will know, there is a basic concept in certain sections of the statute known as presumption. To be clear, there is a basic presumption which is simply an assumption of the law about a fact. This fact is considered true unless proven otherwise. The burden of proof is assigned to those trying to overcome this presumption. A separate aspect is what…
Whenever you are handling a claim, something issues, problems are simply not avoidable. However, there are a few steps to take that can minimize your more problematic files. With elimination of these issues, you should be able to reach file conclusion more swiftly. Several points to keep in mind from the outset of the claim. Communicate frequently, effectively and in as much a comprehensive manner ss possible. If you cannot…
