It’s back to school for adjusters, lawyers, and nurse case managers as the 71st annual Workers’ Compensation Educational Conference presents "Mini-Med School: Evaluating Claims of Chemical-Induced Workplace Injuries, Medicolegal Concepts and Management of Medical Claims."
“Class" will be held from 9:00 - 11:00 am on Wednesday, August 24, at the conference hotel, the Orlando World Center Marriott.
Program Moderator is Nat Levine, an Independent Medical Practice Consultant based in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. Panel members are Raymond D. Harbison, PhD, MS, Professor and Director, University of South Florida College of Public Health Center for Environmental/Occupational Risks Analysis & Management in Tampa; Neal Gannon, with Conroy, Simberg, Ganon, Krevans, Abel, Lurvey, Morrow & Schefer of West Palm Beach, Fla.; and Tammy Riesz, CWC, CWCL, Claims Supervisor, AmTrust North America, Maitland, Fla.
Chemical exposures in various workplaces are common. Claims that chemical exposures caused injury (organ injury, cancer, neurological deficiencies) can be the basis for workers’ compensation claims. If you have cases that claim chemical exposure is the cause of the injury, this is a must-attend presentation. Participants will learn the process for evaluating workplace exposures and the medical consequences of these exposures. They will be able to determine dose response relationships, no-effect levels, and mechanisms of chemical-induced toxicity that may lead to injury. The legal requirements of exposure to harmful levels of chemicals will be provided. Also, audience members will learn the requirement for relevant, reliable, and applicable epidemiologic literature to support the claim; the limitations of scientific literature and legal uses of this data will be explained. Mini-Med School has been a popular series for adjusters, attorneys and nurse case managers, and this session promises to live up to that reputation.
The presentation is followed from 11:00 am - Noon by a “killer” session entitled "Kill the Pain and Kill the Claim? Opioid Drug Therapy: Aiming to Relieve Pain But Increasing the Duration of Disability?"
Again moderated by Levine, the speaker is Marcos A. Iglesias, MD, MMM, FAAFP, FACOEM, Vice President and National Medical Director, The Hartford Fire Insurance Co., in Hartford, Conn.
In addition to the ever increasing costs of opioid drug therapy, research shows a link between the therapy and a longer duration of the claimant’s disability. One study showed that claimants were disabled longer with the therapy then without it! The National Medical Director of The Hartford will discuss the connections and solutions to opioids and disability.
ABOUT THE WORKERS’ COMPENSATION EDUCATIONAL CONFERENCE
Now in its 71st year, the Workers’ Compensation Educational Conference is the must-attend event for C-level executives, risk managers, claims adjusters, insurers, and medical and legal experts. Presented by the Workers’ Compensation Institute, the conference offers attendees an extraordinary opportunity to connect with their peers and learn from nationally recognized experts. The 2016 Workers’ Compensation Educational Conference will be held August 21-24 at the Orlando World Center Marriott. Follow conference news on Twitter with the hashtag #WCI2016. Registration is now open.