WCRI Preps for In-person Event

Boston, MA (WorkersCompensation.com) – The Workers Compensation Research Institute’s annual conference later this month will be the first in-person event many in the industry have attended in two years. In fact, the last conference in 2021 occurred just days before the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus a pandemic.

Many changes that have occurred in the last two years will be the focus of this year’s occasion. Organizers have adopted the theme, Emerging and Learning from Disruption.

“It’s amazing the amount of disruption – to where we were, how we live our lives,” said John W. Ruser, WCRI’s President/CEO. “The theme is, we are emerging out of that; how will our lives be different, how will our work lives be different. We’ll dwell on that at our conference.”

While mandates covering vaccines and indoor mask-wearing have recently been eased, organizers are taking a variety of measures to meet the different comfort levels of attendees. KN95 masks will be provided, for example. Instead of the typical plated lunch, boxed meals will be available to allow people to either sit with others at tables or eat on their own.

Keynotes

Ruser promises the two-day affair will be rife with notable speakers and sessions. Kicking off the conference will be Robert Hartwig. One of the most oft-quoted experts in economics and workers’ compensation, the Risk and Uncertainty Management Center Clinical Associate Professor at the Darla Moore School of Business at the University of South Carolina will offer his insights on the impact of disruptions to the system from COIVID-19.

“There are a lot of economic-related factors in play; labor market dislocations – the great resignation, apparent inflation, concerns over economic growth, and financial market volatility. All these things are out there and have potential to impact the workers’ compensation line,” Ruser said. “We’ll have Bob talk about how they might disrupt workers’ compensation.”

Additionally, Hartwig will address changes to the labor markets during the pandemic, such as work-from-home. The future of the labor market and it’s potential impact on workers’ compensation will also be addressed.

The future of the workplace post COVID-19 will also be discussed by a diverse panel of experts: 

• Denise Algire, Albertsons Companies’ Director of Risk Initiatives & National Medical Director
• Dan Allen, Construction Industry Service Corporation (CISCO) Executive Director
• Craig Ross, DO Liberty Mutual’s Regional Medical Director

Sebastian Negrusa, PhD, WCRI’s VP of Research will moderate the session to elicit the speakers’ differing perspectives and address various questions, such as how organizations will manage the different comfort levels of their employees as they return to the workplace; to what extent will they return, and what it means to have some permanently doing hybrid work. Also, the panel will address the impact of the pandemic on injured workers. “What impact has it had on injured workers in the way they have been receiving treatment, and perhaps longer run impacts, such as telemedicine and other things,” Ruser said, “the ways COVID-19 might have impacted the delivery of medical care.”

The much-discussed topic of long-term COVID-19 will be included in a session headlined by Sandro Galea, MD, MPH, DrPH, Dean and Robert A. Knox Professor at the Boston University School of Public Health. The physician, epidemiologist and author has been named one of Time magazine’s epidemiology innovators and has been listed as one of the “World’s Most Influential Scientific Minds.”

The isolation resulting from the pandemic has created anxiety among many people as they’ve started to venture out, both socially and for work. Those feeling will be directly addressed. “Some folks are just starting to get out again,” Ruser said. “Maybe they’re a little rusty.” 

Joe Keohane will offer tips and strategies from his book, The Power of Strangers: The Benefits of Connecting in a Suspicious World. He’ll discuss how to engage others as we resume interacting with colleagues. That session will wrap up Day 1. 

“Our conference tends to be rather wonky,” Ruser said. At “the end of a lot of great, wonky material it’s kind of pleasant to have somebody talking about something different but very important. Also, it rolls into our reception.” 

It's been 50 years since a national commission issued its report on the state of the workers’ compensation system, and many are asking whether the system has changed for the better. “To what extent has it met the needs of injured workers and employers, [for example]” Ruser said. “Are there shortcomings that still need to be addressed? Is the report still relevant? To what extend did states actually meet the recommendations, especially the 19 essential recommendations, of the national commission?” 

Ruser will moderate the session, with guest speakers:

• David Langham, Deputy Chief Judge of the Florida Office of Judges of Compensation Claims
• Alan S. Pierce, a plaintiffs’ attorney and partner with Pierce, Pierce & Napolitano
• Bruce C. Wood, retired VP & Associate General Counsel  of the American Insurance Association and now Principal of WorkCompWorks, LLC

Research-based Sessions

A unique feature of WCRI’s annual conference is its release of preliminary results of ongoing research. Drug formularies and chiropractic care are among the research topics that will be presented. For example, researchers will discuss their findings on how often workers with low back pain receive chiropractic care across states, and how chiropractors are involved in delivering care.

Another session will deal with the effects of provider consolidation on payments for medical care. There are two forms; horizontal integration refers to hospitals joining together, while vertical care involves hospital systems buying primary care officer.

“We’ll see to what extent they might have an impact on payment [in workers’ compensation],” Ruser said. “It’s going to raise some eyebrows.” 

Overall, Ruser said he is looking forward to being in person. 

“I’m looking forward to getting back together, seeing old friends, meeting new ones, getting together for a wonderful set of presentations and discussions from many distinguished experts,” he said. I’m looking forward to the totality of the event, the fact we are there live and able to get together again.”

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