Category: From Bob’s Cluttered Desk

For years, those of us in the workers’ compensation trenches have watched claims spiral out of control not because of the severity of the physical injury, but because of what’s happening between the injured worker’s ears. Now WCRI has done us all a favor by quantifying what every seasoned claims professional has suspected: psychosocial factors are rampant in workers’ comp claims, and they’re wreaking havoc on recovery outcomes. The new…

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A Note from Bob: While writing this article I decided to get AI’s take on the topic. The response was prescient, on point, and damn frightening. Turns out I wasn’t needed for this article at all. It is enough to scare the crap out of anyone… ________________________________________ While it has not yet been defined as a clinical diagnosis, an emerging issue known as “AI Psychosis” has been causing concern among health…

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There is no doubt that we are, as a society, in the midst of dramatic technological change. AI and automation are changing the way we work and live, and the dramatic impact of robotics on our personal lives is not far behind. It is important to remember however, that some things will likely remain the same, and that the actual need and desire for productive human interaction will remain an…

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There are times I just don’t know what we would do without the news media. Think about it. If they didn’t exist, we would likely never know about the dire state of the world in which we live. But, of course, in addition to feeding the narrative of constant peril and crisis, they occasionally serve up a useful gem that helps guide us to a happier tomorrow – happier, that…

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At the Workers' Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) Annual Conference in Phoenix yesterday, researchers presented findings on how changes in the medical workforce are impacting workers' compensation systems across the United States. The presentation highlighted significant shifts in who provides care to injured workers and what these changes mean for claim outcomes. The panel began by addressing widespread concerns about healthcare provider shortages that have been amplified during the pandemic. While…

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Thursday, at the Workers’ Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) Annual Conference being held in Phoenix, AZ, Keynote speaker Lanhee Chen, Ph.D., from Stanford University offered a comprehensive analysis of the US healthcare system’s trajectory. His presentation, “The US Healthcare System in 2025, Where We’ve Been, Where We Are, and What’s to Come ” provided insights into past transformations and projected future developments. Chen opened with a central thesis: after a period…

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The Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) has announced a compelling lineup of speakers and panels for its 2025 Issues & Research Conference, scheduled for March 6-7 in Phoenix, Arizona. The conference will feature prominent healthcare policy experts addressing critical challenges facing the workers’ compensation industry. Many of us look forward to this annual event, as it is generally considered the launch of the conference season for the workers’ compensation industry.…

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Most people at this point are familiar with the phrase “jumping the shark.” Those of us old enough to remember its origins know that it developed from an episode of the 1970’s show “Happy Days,” that consisted of the persistently cool Arthur “Fonzie” Fonzarelli jumping a shark on water skis. The stunt came late in the show’s life and became emblematic of a program that had gone too far, from…

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All of the fervor around artificial intelligence of late has been largely focused on how fast the technology is advancing. Indeed, as a personal consumer of significant AI services today, I can tell you that even in the last 12 months the advances have been incredible. However, an article came across my Cluttered Desk earlier this week that might represent the first significant setback to the abilities of AI. In fact, if…

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Well, the year 2025 has dawned upon us. I actually wanted a fancier way to say that, something more formal to ring in the new year. However, my feeble mind struggled with the task, so I asked one of my AI assistants to provide me with a cleverer way to phrase that opening line. It came up with: “Verily, the celestial chronometer has unfurled its majestic scroll to reveal that…

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