5 Questions for Mark Pew, the RxProfessor, Provost and Founding Partner, WorkCompCollege.com 

Movers & Shakers

Sarasota, FL (WorkersCompensation.com) -- You might have heard of the RxProfessor, Mark Pew, whose work has graced our pages, among those of many other outlets, and who has been one of the driving forces behind the creation of WorkCompCollege.com. We were fortunate enough to get some of Mark's time recently and learn a few things about him.

Q. Where did your journey in the workers' compensation industry begin? 

A. As with most people in work comp, joining was not a strategic decision. I was managing a software development team at Equifax in 1990 when a member of my team decided he no longer wanted to work nights and weekends developing a case management platform for a work comp utilization review company. I was always open to new challenges so I built and supported what they needed. As part of that process, I absorbed work comp’s unique vernacular, state regulations, claims and peer review process, treatment guidelines, etc. After leading the Y2K effort for ChoicePoint’s employment services division, I joined PRIUM (then known as PRI) full-time. In 2003, I identified the over-prescribing of opioids as a major impediment to positive clinical and financial outcomes. Transitioning into product development, I created a then-unique peer review program that used evidence-based medicine to encourage physicians to consider other options (it won a Business Insurance “Innovation Award” in 2012). As part of that process, I added business & operations management, marketing, sales and account management to my skillset. Reading hundreds of thousands of pages of medical records and drug transactions added a layman’s understanding of clinical best practices. In 2010 I began my lobbying career by advocating for the adoption of a drug formulary in Texas. In 2012, I was asked to present a CE course entitled “Best Practices in Opioid Management.” It went well enough that, as of August 2024, I’ve had 709 additional opportunities to present what I’ve learned at “the intersection of chronic pain and appropriate treatment.” Public speaking was not on my teenaged BINGO card, much less work comp. I took the opportunity in 2022 to apply every skill I had developed to co-found WorkCompCollege.com. I do NOT believe in coincidences. I only believe in the concept of luck when it’s defined as where preparation meets opportunity. Every experience and interaction built a foundation for who I am and what I do, which has resulted in a 30+ year career in work comp. 

Q. What does a "typical" day look like for you? 

A. I have been working from home since 2016 but have also traveled extensively for business throughout my career, so there are two “typical” days. When traveling, every day is an adventure to balance what I’m doing at that location and what needs to get done for the business. In other words, there is nothing “typical” about any day during travel. When I’m at home, I try to start every day with a 45-minute walk around my hilly subdivision where I use podcasts and prayer time to prepare my body, mind and soul for the day. I then take the 14-stair commute up to the third floor to my “man cave” for work. My wife will typically text me about dinner and we’ll have some time to connect. Depending upon the to-do list, I may go back upstairs after dinner for more work. My work on weekends is a more relaxed schedule that accommodates other tasks around the house, time with family, and more extended exercise (and soon, football). I have always preferred to have a diverse schedule where each day is unique. There have been times where I’ve worked 80-90 hours each week but I now average 60ish hours, which is certainly more sustainable. 

Q. What's the biggest motivator for you at work? 

A. I have always been self-motivated. My passion, which drives my motivation, is to help others achieve their potential. In 1983 I was responsible for deploying this new thing called a “PC” to all Equifax branch offices that was a great learning experience for dealing with people and problems in a “virtual” scenario. I managed teams of people because I wanted to help them achieve their optimum selves while achieving business goals. I was a youth coach at church for over two decades because I wanted to guide them towards good choices. I successfully lobbied for California to require the use of CURES, their PDMP, because I felt transparency would enable better choices. I started presenting education to create epiphanies for those who did not have the same exposure to the brightest physicians, psychologists, nurses, pharmacists, attorneys, regulators, and claims professionals that I was granted. I helped create WorkCompCollege.com as a platform for like-minded “pay it forward” experts to invest in the professional development of our industry. I co-created The Transitions, Advancing Advocacy and engaged in some mentoring groups because I want to invest in the next generation. I have always found ways to incorporate my passion into my daily tasks. Life without meaning is … meaningless. 

Q. What are your best productivity tools? 

A. My inbox and my phone. I keep emails in my inbox until their associated tasks have been completed. Their presence is not only a good reminder for me, but also reminders of accountability for others. When they are done, I move them to logically named folders so I can find them for future context. Sometimes they will transition into calendar events that serve as reminders in the future. I have used formal project management and task management tools but have developed over the past four-plus decades a “system” for using Outlook to ensure I stay focused and productive. I use my phone (which for better or worse is never out of my sight) to augment that process. I use its calendar to log reminders or send an email to myself. My muse can be sparked by a thought, conversation, or something I’ve read. Because that can happen at any moment, I use my phone to save the idea for further action. 

Q. What's a lesson you've learned in your career that you wish you could share with your younger self? 

A. Progress is not linear so keep one eye on the present and one eye on the future, execute the micro but don’t lose sight of the macro. The butterfly effect is not just a theory – it’s an explanation for the interrelation of everything. Earlier in my career, I did not realize that life is a constant game of 4D chess. While an action today (micro) might not be checkmate, it could be the first … or third … or 70th … move that is setting a foundation for what’s next (macro). Today’s failure may be providing the lesson needed to make better choices in the future. A seemingly random unsolicited LinkedIn connection request in 2021 may turn into an opportunity in 2024. A friendship can provide a voice of calm in the midst of a storm they understand because they earlier trod that same path. A solid business idea may need to simmer until the timing is right. My younger self did not have the maturity or wide-ranging experiences for that “two eyed” approach so maybe the ability for strategic introspection only comes with age. 

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