I'm writing today out of frustration. Frustration over the lack of compassion. The lack of creative problem-solving. And, perhaps most frustrating, the lack of willingness to think beyond a script or a set of predetermined answers. My frustration stems from helping care for my mom following a stroke. My sister and I have navigated some frightening moments, celebrated Mom's recovery, and learned to adapt to her ongoing needs. There is…
What one young Gen Z leader made me think about the future of workers’ compensation. One of the things I took away from ELEVATE came from a place I didn't expect. It wasn't something said by one of the industry's most experienced leaders. It came from the youngest person on the panel during the session “Confronting the Talent Cliff in Workers’ Compensation and Insurance.” Her name is Kaylee Bamfield. Kaylee…
I felt the calling to return the blog to my horses. So, for this week, nostalgia wins! My horse trainer and I have spent countless hours since Lattie passed in April pounding the pavement in search of Harry Trotter’s next best friend. I use “best friend” a little tongue-in-cheek because Lattie was never particularly fond of Harry. Harry, for his part, was perfectly willing to be friends. Their relationship was,…
One of the sessions I attended at the WCI Conference in Orlando was a Workers’ Compensation 101 panel featuring Judge Melissa Jones, Stuart Colburn, Mark Pew and Bob Wilson. The session covered a lot of ground, beginning with the history of workers’ compensation and eventually landing on a question that I think is worth asking ourselves today: Have we become so busy working within the system that we sometimes lose…
I have been in workers’ compensation for more than 30 years, and somehow, this year was the first time I attended WCI. I’m still asking myself, what took me so long? Before heading to Orlando, I knew WCI was a big conference. I had heard about the thousands of attendees, the hundreds of educational sessions and the enormous exhibit hall, but I don't think you can really appreciate the magnitude…
After my last two blogs, Adjusters Are People, Too and AI Should Give Me Time, Not More Claims, I felt the need to address this from the carrier’s and third-party administrator’s perspective, too. My experience running the workers’ compensation program for The University of Texas System (UT System), who was defined by law as the insurance carrier for the institutions within the system, taught me the carrier perspective. I understand…
Part 2: What Happens When Technology Gives the Adjuster Time Back? Last week, I introduced you to Sarah. Sarah is completely fictitious, but the workload isn't. Sarah represents the adjusters sitting behind desks all over the country, trying to balance claim inventories, deadlines, medical records, phone calls, emails, metrics and an injured person who needs more than a claim number. At the end of Part 1, we left Sarah with…
National Workers’ Comp Adjuster Day was August 17. Maybe today is a good day to remember that behind every claim is an adjuster who is a person, too. Part 1: The Person Behind the Claim An entirely fictitious story. The workload, however, may feel painfully familiar. My name is Sarah. I’m a workers’ compensation adjuster. Well, at least that’s what my business card says. I was hired because someone told…
Last week, I shared how my own definition of success changed over the course of a career in workers' compensation. Like many claims professionals, I began by measuring success through closed files, favorable outcomes, and cost savings. Over time, I came to realize that behind every claim number is a person with fears, responsibilities, and a life that has been unexpectedly interrupted. I also discussed how the demands of our…
Over the next two weeks, I'd like to share a reflection that has shaped the way I view workers' compensation. In Part 1, I share my own journey from measuring success by closed claims to understanding that every claim represents a human life. Next week, in Part 2, I'll explore what research tells us about recovery and how a Worker Recovery mindset can improve outcomes for everyone involved. "I am…
