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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.
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
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.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>.>>>>>
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