2008 GSIA Spring Conference

April 23-25

Sheraton Read House

Chattanooga, TN

AGENDA

Workers’ Compensation……….Fishing for Solutions

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

11:30 a.m.                           Kids’ Chance Golf Registration and Lunch
                                            Located at Brown Acres Golf Course
                                            Chattanooga, TN

12:30 p.m.                           Kids’ Chance Golf Shotgun Start
                                            Brown Acres Golf Course

4:00 p.m.                             Hotel Check-in
                                            Welcome Bags Sponsored By:  
                                            Brentwood Services
                             

6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.          Conference Registration/Reception

7:00 p.m.                             Dinner on your  own.  Networking opportunities.

Thursday, April 24, 2008

 

8:00 a.m. – 8:30 a.m.           Registration/Continental Breakfast
                                          
Sponsored By:  Companion TPA

8:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.           Opening Remarks
                                           
Sam Storey-WellStar Health System
                                            GSIA Chairman

9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.         Concurrent Breakout Sessions:
                                            Managing Pain Medications for the  Injured      
                                            Worker with Acute and Chronic Pain.
                                            The speakers will discuss issues surrounding the
                                            prescribing of pain medications to injured workers.
                                           
Hershel Beker, M.D., Resurgens Orthopaedics
                                            Donald Taylor, M.D., Comprehensive Pain Care P.C.
                                            Brenda Ratcliff - Shaw Industries Group
                                            Zan Lanford, R.N. - Wright Rehab Services

                                            Ask The Doctor?
                                            The physicians will discuss common workers'             
                                            compensation problems they encounter when treating
                                            injured workers.

                                            Alton Greene, M.D. - Caduceus Occupational Medicine
                                            William Terrell, M.D. - Pinnacle Orthopaedics
                                            John Foster, M.D. - Dominion Orthopaedics

                                            Breaks Sponsored By:
                                            Caduceus Occupational Medicine
                                            Medical Services Company
                                            Collins and Company, Inc.

                                            Effective Management of Culturally Diverse Claims
                                            require adjustment in your day to day
                                            communications with these claimants.
                                            Luanne Clarke - Moore Clarke DuVall & Rodgers, P.C.
                                           
Suzanne Tambasco, R.N.

                                            The New Mobile Workforce
                                            The speakers will discuss the challenges of
                                            managing claims where the injury occurs off site
                                            and/or when the employee telecommutes. 
                                           
Robert Ingram - Moore Ingram Johnson & Steele
                                            Judge Warren Massey - State Board of Workers’ Comp

12:00 p.m. - 12:45 p.m.       Lunch
                                           Sponsored By:  ZoneCare USA &
                                           The Center for Orthopaedic & Sports Medicine

12:45 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.         Keynote Speaker
                                            Sponsored By: Savell & Williams, LLP

                                            Last Man Down:  A Fireman's Story
                                           
Richard Picciotto- Retired FDNY Battalion Commander
                                            Highest ranking FDNY officer to survive 9/11 and best
                                            selling author of "Last Man Down".

1:45 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.           Ethics: Surveillance - A View From the Bench
                                            A discussion of several cases regarding improper use
                                            of surveillance by insurance companies and the legal
                                            consequences of same.  They will also deal with
                                            multiple issues that arise during the litigation of cases
                                            regarding surveillance.
                                           
Gregg Porter - Savell & Williams, LLP
                                            Judge Beth Lammers - State Board of Workers’ Comp

5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.           GSIA Board Reception
                                             By Invitation Only for Sponsors, Exhibitors and Self
                                             Insured Employers
                                                   

6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.            Shuttles to The Aquarium for Dinner & Dessert     
                                            Sponsored By:  OTrans, Inc. 

7:00 p.m. – 10:30 p.m.          Dinner & Dessert at the Aquarium
                                             Dinner Sponsored By:  Scrudder, Bass, Quillian,
                                                                                Horlock, Taylor & Lazarus LLP           

9:00 p.m. - 12:00 a.m.          Shuttles return to Sheraton

Friday, April 25, 2008


8:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.         Buffet Breakfast
                                            Sponsored By:  DDI & Waffle House, Inc.
                

                                            State Board of Workers’ Compensation Update
                                           
Judge Carolyn Hall, Chairman

                                            Kids’ Chance Scholarship Presentation

                                            Legislative & Case Law Update
                                           
John R. Poole, GSIA

10:00 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.        Wrap Up and Door Prize Drawing

 

            For registration forms, call Kathi Banks at 404-223-2285.

 

   

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Results of Breakout Sessions at 2007 Spring Conference
Broken Down by Medical, Legal and Claims

 

MEDICAL SESSION

Invite physicians out to visit employer to understand jobs and get buy in on return to work.

Send job description with injured worker and an alternative job description. Helps with restrictions and return to work.

What things can be done in a medical office to improve quality of information?

How can you ensure that you have good doctors?

Employer/TPA should track appointments.

Employer/TPA should be involved with referrals.

All parties should have work status.

Set protocols for return to work.

Employers/TPA create Best Practice Programs.

Give injured employees TLC. Send cards, communicate with them.

Injured workers are just that, injured employees not claimants. Employees are your most valuable asset.

Bring employee back to work at end of workweek rather than on Monday because of stamina issues.

LEGAL SESSION

Have attorneys meet with physicians regarding communication that might come up in litigation. Have attorneys come to site to meet medical department and others.

Feel like you can have "a cup of coffee" with the attorney that will represent your company. Develop trust in relationship with attorney. Listen to attorney to learn – expert in area.

Don’t abandon file to attorney.

Don’t have attorney file forms.

Expect a timely review of file and response to all possible issues with suggestions of ways to handle.

Have attorney prepare you before going to Board.

Establish clear objectives and develop plan to get to closure.

Rely on "gut-feel" on when to involve attorney. Get involvement early.

CLAIMS SESSION

If in a personal position with a claimant, better to separate from this claim and have TPA handle. TPA can be the bad guy.

Customer service by ALL parties: attorney, adjuster and employer. Teamwork not "I".

Using non-profits for RTW – How to Partner.

Good communication with employee is critical.

Selection of panel of doctors very important. Update regularly.

Mediation generally successful.

Self insured’s use broker as resource.

Doing right thing is best. Morally and legally.

Each claim is different:
    Flexibility
    Imaginative
    Consistency
    Accuracy
    Managed



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   


Georgia Self Insurers Association, Inc.
233 Peachtree Street, NE, Suite 2000
Atlanta, GA 30303
Phone: 404-223-2285
Fax: 404-223-2290
Email: kbanks@gsia.net