Tuesday, August 21, 2018

9:45 – 4:15 pm
Grand Ballroom 8A
Convention Level

9:45 – 11:00 am
Winning Strategies for Workers’ Compensation Risk Management

Moderator:
Shawn Moynihan
Editor-In-Chief
National Underwriter Property & Casualty
ALM Media
New York, NY

Panel:
The three winners of National Underwriter P&C’s Excellence in Workers’ Compensation Risk Management Award

Sponsored by National Underwriter, Safety National and Sedgwick

Developing an effective workers’ compensation program is a team effort, one that involves several perspectives all focused on the same goal: a beneficial outcome for all parties. With this in mind, National Underwriter Property & Casualty magazine, Safety National, and Sedgwick present the three winners of the 2018 Excellence in Workers’ Compensation Risk Management Award, all of whom will share the secrets of their successful, award-winning programs. Come and learn how these three individuals achieve major cost savings through their risk-mitigation efforts and mindful, ever-evolving strategies.

11:00 – 11:15 am
Break

11:15 – 12:15 pm
An Altered State: The Drug Formulary and Legalized Marijuana Enter the California Workers’ Compensation System

Speaker:
Alex Swedlow
President
California Workers’ Compensation Institute
Oakland, CA

After several years of research, debate, and planning, the Pharmaceutical Drug Formulary went live in the California workers’ compensation system on January 1, 2018. CWCI President Alex Swedlow will trace California’s history on pharmaceutical utilization and cost management, the legislative and regulatory process of adopting a workers’ compensation formulary, and provide early returns on how the formulary is changing the delivery and cost of pharmaceuticals. He will present the lessons learned and the intended and unintended consequences of adoption that other states might consider in developing their own formulary. Finally, Alex will also discuss the clinical and legal implications of legalized marijuana in the treatment of occupational injuries, as well as the ramifications of cannabis in the workplace.

12:15 – 1:15 pm
Lunch (on your own)
Purchase lunch in the Exhibit Hall. Visit the “Comp Time” Diner… grab & go, or sit and network with clients and exhibitors!

1:15 – 2:15 pm
Innovative Investigative Strategies for the Risk Manager

Moderator:
Steve Cassell
President & CEO
Command Investigations
Lake Mary, FL

Panel:
Andrew Olwert
President
Next Level Administrators
Bradenton, FL

David Shoaff
Manager, Claims
Red Lobster
Orlando, FL

Steve Figliuolo
Senior Consultant, Risk Management
Chick-fil-A Corporate
Atlanta, GA

This dynamic panel of claim and investigative professionals will discuss new investigative tools and methodologies that uniquely and positively impact claim outcomes. Detailed examination of contemporary investigative strategies will provide the attendee with a clear understanding of the latest technologies that have previously been unavailable in the marketplace. The discussion will include fascinating case-studies, specific investigative tools, enterprise deployment policies and a resulting positive cultural shift to pro-active decision making. This session will fundamentally impact how the modern risk manager will employ future investigative strategies within its organization and explain how to capitalize on the current renaissance period within the investigative community.

2:15 – 3:15 pm
Exploring the World of Opioid Alternatives

Moderator:
Eric Patten
Senior Director of Clinical Services
One Call
Jacksonville, FL

Panel:
Marcos A. Iglesias, MD, MMM, FAAFP, FACOEM
Senior Vice President/Chief Medical Officer
Broadspire, A Crawford Company
Sunrise, FL

Mark Pew
Senior Vice President, Product Development & Marketing
Preferred Medical
Louisville, KY

According to the United Nations International Narcotics Control Board, Americans consume more opioids than any other country. Opioids are associated with many physical, psychological, and socially adverse consequences and have reached epidemic proportions in the United States. Despite the danger they pose and lack of literature to support their efficacy in chronic pain, opioids continue to be prescribed frequently to injured workers. In this session, you will learn the long-term, costly repercussions of opioid use as well as be able to compare opioids, other pharmacological solutions, and alternative treatments for chronic pain management, such as cognitive behavioral therapy, massage, acupuncture, and medical marijuana.

3:15 – 4:15 pm
Essential Job Demands: Why They Should Be Included On All Job Descriptions

Moderator:
Carrie Manges, PTA
Regional Work Comp Specialist
CORA Physical Therapy
Lexington, SC

Panel:
Jaime Sigurdsson, CEAS
Director of Workers’ Compensation
CORA Physical Therapy
Longwood, FL
Handout

Katherine Jones
Human Resources Generalist
City of Winter Park
Winter Park, FL

When you are determining job placement pre-hire or post-injury, it is highly beneficial to include the essential physical demands on the job descriptions. By distinguishing the essential versus marginal functions and determining the physical demands requirements for both weight and position, the employer can properly match the worker to the job and prevent injuries due to inability to perform the required physical demands. In addition, it is important to learn how to maneuver within the expectations and guidelines of the ADA and EEOC to prevent exposure to a discrimination claim. This session seeks to educate everyone from the employer to the adjuster on how to use these job descriptions to expedite return-to-work and eliminate legal exposure.