WSIA

Catch up on past online programs and earn continuing education credits on demand with our archived webcasts.

How Leveraging Technology to Produce Objective Data Leads to Better Outcomes for Musculoskeletal Injuries
Craig Deneau, Vice President of Payer Partnerships, FIGUR8
Josh Williams, Senior Director, Clinical Solutions and Strategic Partnerships, FIGUR8
Colleen Medlin, Vice President of Workers’ Compensation, PRN Physical Therapy

Does the thought of PT on a WC claim make you think of treatment without end and without objective improvement? Join us to learn about bringing objectivity to the realm of PT. Figur8 will show how technology can yield objective and functional data that can lead to shorter claim duration and better final outcomes for injured workers. The Boston Red Sox and other high-profile organizations have adapted FIgur8’s methods.

"Train" to Age, Cuz it ain't Easy
Brian Ferris, M.D., Centerline Surgical Consulting

Inflammatory processes in the human body can cause multiple complications and greatly impact WC claims. Dr. Brian Ferris (Examworks) will give a comprehensive understanding of inflammation in the body and consequences of inflammation on disability. Attendees will come away with deeper knowledge of this complex process and how to better manage claims impacted by inflammation.

Expert Panel: Strategies to Reduce Disability Durations
Jenny Haykin, Leave & Accommodations Program Manager, Puget Sound Energy
Lynnda Dee English, BA, CEOE, AOEAS, Vocational/Ergonomics Consultant, Solutions Northwest, Inc.
Claims Manager - TBA

How can you bend the curve and limit workplace disability? Join our expert panel to discuss strategies for limiting disability duration. The panel will discuss real life examples of what has worked and how to implement these strategies at your workplace.

Member Pricing:
$99 for the on-demand recording

• WWCP - 4 credits
• CDMS - 4 credits (Expires 9/19/25)
• CCMC - 4 credits (Expires 9/19/25)

Join us for an insightful summit dedicated to the critical topic of helping injured workers successfully return to work (RTW) when their original employer is unable to accommodate their needs. This event is designed for employers, third-party administrators (TPAs), vocational rehabilitation counselors (VRCs), and other stakeholders involved in the RTW process. We will explore innovative strategies and best practices to ensure that injured workers can transition smoothly into new roles and employers, maximizing their potential and minimizing litigation risks.

Injured Worker Unable to RTW with Employer of Injury? What Next?

Presenter: Cory Turner, CRC, Vocational Connections, Inc.

Kick off the summit by exploring the critical steps and considerations when an injured worker cannot return to their original employer. Cory Turner will discuss strategies for creating effective RTW plans that align with the worker's skills and aspirations, ensuring a smooth transition to new employment opportunities.

HB 2127 - The Benefits It Can Provide to Support Actual Return to Employment Outcomes

Presenter: Cory Turner, CRC, Vocational Connections, Inc., and Julie Busch, MS, CDMS, Strategic Consulting Services, Inc.

Dive into the details of HB 2127 and how it can facilitate better RTW outcomes. This presentation will highlight the key provisions of the legislation and how the new law might be leveraged to support injured workers in their journey back to employment as well as some key components of the legislation to be on the lookout for.

Behavioral Health Support in Return to Work Efforts

Presenters: Dr. Gregory Dorris

Conclude the summit with a comprehensive look at the role of behavioral health in RTW efforts. Dr. Dorris will share insights on the importance of addressing mental health and well-being as part of the RTW process, offering practical strategies to support injured workers in overcoming psychological barriers to reemployment.

Member Pricing:
$99 for the on-demand recording

WSIA will award 4 continuing education credit hours for the Washington Workers' Compensation Professional (WWCP) recertification. The following additional professional development credentials will be available to attendees:

• L&I CEU - 3 credits (Expires 7/16/26)
• CDMS - 3 credits (Expires 7/17/25)

This half-day Seminar will be held virtually to help the busy workers' comp professional better maximize your day. Safety, Ergonomics and AI in Claims Management are on the focus of this new program. Here’s the details on the seminar sessions:

• Safety: Lee Pyfrom from MacDonald-Miller Facility Solutions will discuss How to Create a Culture of Safety. Lee will leverage his years of experience to detail to create work environments that decrease and lessen the severity of WC claims.
  
• Ergonomics : Michelle Jensen and Debbie Allemand of Eastside Vocational will present Preventing the Unnecessary: A Spotlight on WC Disability Ergonomics. Michelle and Debbie will discuss both real world case studies of managing ergonomics in the prevention of WC claims and the impact of the new ergonomics law the Legislature passed this year.
  
• AI in Claims: Gia Sawko of Gradient AI will share AI Superpowers: How AI is Empowering Claims Managers. Gia will spotlight how the emerging AI technology will help claims staff outsource the mundane tasks to AI and spend more time on the challenges of professional claims management.

Member Pricing:
$99 for the on-demand recording

• WWCP - 4 credits
• Dept L&I - 4 credits (Expires 9/13/25)

This year's RTW Summit will emphasize the need to have a strong team approach in RTW. WSIA has assembled a real-life team with Legal, Claims, Vocational, Medical and the Employer all sharing how to build a solid team approach to effective RTW.

Co-Facilitated by Cory Turner, Vocational Connections Inc. & Julie Busch, Strategic Consulting Services

Panel of Experts:

Amalia Diaz (Workers’ Compensation Manager - Washington Fruit & Produce)
Mareli Drakes (Certified Claim Adjuster - Eberle Vivian/Helmsman)
Annabel Cobane (CDMS - Advanced Vocational Solutions)
Cari Remington (ARNP - Worker Care Clinic)
Michael Godfrey (Partner, SBH Legal)

The panel will discuss how the “return-to-work” process is handled from beginning-to-end, starting from how employer’s create processes and outcome goals prior to ever receiving a claim from an injured worker to how the various stakeholders work together to bring a worker back to work even when there are permanent restrictions. After each person talks about their role in the return-to-work process, the panel will go over hypothetical scenarios and talk about what they would be doing in their capacity at various points during the scenario.

Member Pricing:
$99 for the on-demand recording

• WWCP - 3 credits

Mental health issues continue to dominate the news in our post-Covid work world. For this year’s Spring Seminar, WSIA has put together a cohort of experts representing Washington employers, mental health providers and defense attorneys to help claims adjusters manage this ever-changing environment.

Member Pricing:
$99 for the on-demand recording

• WWCP - 4 credits

Let's face it, the pandemic has been tough on everyone and the impact to work and mental health has been a subject of constant discussion. The workplace has had many notable examples of grace, accommodation, and compassion amongst employers and employees, while at the same time outbreaks of violence and rattled nerves have also grabbed headlines. What can we do to help our injured, healthy, and “silently struggling” workers get through this weird storm, and what are the implications of workplace mental health right now for risk management and workers' compensation?

Member Pricing:
$199 for the on-demand recording

• WWCP - 4 credits

It is an interesting year in that the phrase "Return to Work" is both a workers' compensation concept as well as one of the hottest general employment law/safety/HR themes right now. As an industry designed to support injured workers in their recovery and return to work, we now find ourselves looking at vocational recovery, the new workplace, protecting workers' mental health, and the late stages of the pandemic through a new lens of personal perspective. We'll work through all of this at our 5th Annual RTW Summit!

Member Pricing:
$99 for the on-demand recording

• WWCP - 3 credits
  

This conference kicks off WSIA's golden anniversary year, where we'll celebrate 50 years of community, learning, and impact. While we still have to gather virtually - hopefully just this last time - we've arranged a day and a half of cutting-edge content for professionals across all sectors of the workers' comp and safety industry. We'll spend some time celebrating how far we've come. But our focus is squarely on the future.

Click here to view the agenda.

Pricing:

WSIA Members - $249

Continuing Education Credits:

• WWCP - 9.5 credits

The last year has certainly redefined, in ways no one could have fully predicted, aspects of medical benefit management in workers' compensation. For our Spring Conference, which typically has a medical benefits focus, we are assembling a team of providers and employers voices to share insights on the latest trends and topics.

Member Pricing:
$199 for the on-demand recording

Continuing Education Credits. The entire conference event was awarded these credits as follows: 

• WWCP, 6
  

All purchases of the full conference or individual sessions will include both a link to a downloadable .mp4 video file to be played on your Windows, Mac, or mobile device (except where the file size is prohibitive) and a link to a private YouTube feed to allow online streaming. A link to PPT slide handouts will also be provided if used in the presentation. 

""I was pleased with how smoothly this conference was able to move to an online format. I found the presentations to be extremely useful interesting, and really enjoyed the speakers' different perspectives." - 2020 Online Annual Conference Attendee

Two complimentary sessions:

Labor & Industries Update & COVID-19 Q&A with Joel Sacks, L&I Director (30 minutes)
Q&A on Current Events for Self-Insurers with L&I's Jim Nylander & WSIA's Kris Tefft (60 minutes)

Session I
Robert 'Buz' Minor, Esq., Workers' Compensation Issues at a National Level (approx. 60 minutes)

Buz Minor, retired partner with Ohio's Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease LLP, former Executive Secretary of the Ohio Self-Insurers Association and incoming Executive Director of the National Council of Self-Insurers shares what we might learn in Washington from national trends impacting the industry both historically and right now.

Session II
Max Koonce, Esq., Claims Environment in 2020, Pandemic & All! (approx. 60 minutes)

Max Koonce, Chief of Claims for Sedgwick's nationwide casualty practice, provides an updated assessment of the key issues impacting claims management today, with an eye toward the particular impacts of COVID-19.

Session III
Bob Wilson, From Bob's Cluttered Desk (approx. 60 minutes)

Industry thought leader and WSIA crowd favorite Bob Wilson of WorkersCompensation.com provides his informational take on where things stand as the workers' compensation industry confronts the many challenges and opportunities now before it.   

Session IV
Kimberly George & Mark Walls, Out Front Ideas with Kimberly & Mark (approx. 60 minutes)

Kimberly George, Senior Vice President for Corporate Development, M&A, and Healthcare for Sedgwick, and Mark Walls, Vice President for Communications and Strategic Analysis for Safety National, share an hour of timely industry insights based on their popular platform, "Out Front Ideas," the duo's online forum designed to explore critical workers' comp and healthcare related issues.

Session V
Mary Daly, FCAS, MAAA, Leveraging Risk Management Data to Drive Insights and Savings (approx. 60 minutes)

Consulting Actuary Mary Daly, a principal in Oliver Wyman's Los Angeles office, helps shape the future by showing how claims managers, TPAs, risk managers, and others can take advantage of all the data we currently have at our fingertips and put it to use beyond the status quo. 

Session VI
Rose Gundersen, The Latest on Washington's Paid Family & Medical Leave & COVID-19 Benefit Programs (approx. 75 minutes)

Rose Gundersen, Vice President of Operations and Retail Services for the Washington Retail Association provides an update on 2020 legislative and administrative changes to the Washington Family & Medical Leave Insurance Program, as well as the related COVID-19 benefit programs now in place. Rose is joined for commentary and Q&A by Edsonia Charles, the Ombuds for the Paid Family & Medical Leave Program at the Employment Security Department.

Session VII
John Roach, The Most Important Qualities for the 21st Century Job Market (approx. 60 minutes)

Amidst the greatest labor market upheaval in generations, John Roach, CEO and cofounder of WholeStory, a hiring app allowing job seekers to provide employers with a holistic profile emphasizing soft skills, discusses the top skills restructuring the 21st century job market and how positive psychology will shape the future of work. John is also Director of Cybersecurity at a large federal contractor in Richland, WA and former VP of Information Technology at Permobil, a global medical device manufacturer.

Wage Calculation Part V of 5- Legal Decisions and Court Cased that have Impacted Calculations
$60 WSIA Members and $100 Non-Members

2 WWCP Statutory Credits

In part five of our series, employers, claims managers and third party administrators will learn about the court cases and legal decisions that have impacted calculations in Washington. Part V will be taught by workers' compensation defense counsel and former BIIA judge Ann Silvernale of Holmes Weddle & Barcott.

Wage Calculation Part IV of 5 - Closing the Claim with PPD
$60 WSIA Members and $100 Non-Members

2 WWCP Credits

In part four of our series, employers, claims managers and third party administrators will learn how to calculate permanent partial disability when the claim is closed. We will include tips on closing claims on behalf of a self-insure employer and how to ask for closure from the Department. Questions answered will not only how calculate permanent partial disability but also how review orders from the Department of Labor & Industries for accuracy. Part IV will be taught by senior claims manager Amela Tankic from Sedgwick.

Wage Calculation Part III of 5 - When and How Does LEP Come to Play
$60 WSIA Members and $100 Non-Members

2 WWCP Credits

In part three of our series, employers, claims managers and third party administrators will learn how to calculate wages when employees return to part time or lessened wage situations. Questions answered will include how to calculate loss of earning power when workers return to work at lesser numbers of hours and/or at a reduced wage rate. Part III will be taught by senior claims manager Amela Tankic from Sedgwick.

Wage Calculation Part II of 5 - Getting the Time Loss Right
$60 WSIA Members and $100 Non-Members

2 WWCP Credits

In part two of our series, employers, claims managers and third party administrator will learn how differing work patterns determine time loss calculations. Questions answered will include how to differentiate between salaried, regular, intermittent and seasonal work patterns. Understanding the intent of the worker is half of the battle. Part II will be taught by senior claims manager Chris Fowler from Eberle Vivian.

Wage Calculation Part I of 5 - The Right Wage
$60 WSIA Members and $100 Non-Members

2 WWCP Credits

In part one of our series, employers, claims managers and third party administrators will learn about the payroll information needed to calculate a correct wage rate in Washington. In this section, we will learn about all the components of wage including healthcare, bonuses, salary increases and the correct time period to use for gathering wage information. Part I will be taught by training and audit staff from Labor & Industries' self-insurance section.

A Fireside Chat with Dr. Gary Franklin: The Latest in Medical Policy
$60 WSIA Members and Non-Members

2 WWCP Credits

Our inaugural Fireside Chat will cover a range of current medical policy updates, and features Dr. Gary Franklin, Medical Director for the Department of Labor & Industries.

Topics covered will include: Also, Dr. Franklin recently took part in a national forum hosted by the U.S. Department of Labor and National Academy of Social Insurance, describing innovations in Washington State to prevent disability. He’ll share his insights form that forum as well.

• The Department’s latest efforts to combat opioid abuse among injured workers 
  
• Expanded use of evidence-based medicine in coverage decisions 
  
• Prevention of harm and risk of harm to Washington’s workers 
  
• The latest with the Medical Provider Network and Healthy Worker 2020 
  
• Your medical policy questions, concerns, and feedback – come prepared! 

Psychiatric IMEs: New DSM-5 Rules and Potential Assessment Tools Regarding Mental Health Examinations

$60 WSIA Members | $100 Non-Members

1.5 WWCP Credits

In this fifth webinar in our impairment ratings series, attorney Shawna Fruin of Reinisch Wilson Weier PC will explore specific issues arising in psychiatric and mental health IMEs including the assessment tools found in the DSM-5. Shawna will discuss how Washington's Administrative Code fits in with the adoption of the DSM-5 by the Department of Labor & Industries.

Participants will learn:

• The new DSM-5 rules and their application in Washington
• The impact of the change in psychiatric assessment tools used in IMEs
• How the DSM-5 might impact allowance and/or denial of psychiatric diagnoses in workers' compensation claims
• Q&A with a psychiatric IME provider (if available)

Rating Impairments for the Back and Other Unspecified Conditions

$60 WSIA Members | $100 Non-Members

2 WWCP Credits

In part four of our series on impairment rating under the AMA Guides, Dr. Edward Dagher will explore rating using the Washington Category Rating System including neck (cervical) and back (thoraco-lumbar) impairment.

Participants will:

• Understand differences between the Guides and the Washington Category Rating System, and how the ratings differ.
• Understand the conditions the must be rated using the Washington Category Rating System.
• Understand proper use of the Washington Category Rating System.
• Understand how to review an IME and when to request clarification.

Using the AMA Guides to Rate Hip, Leg, Knee, Ankle and Foot Impairments
$60 WSIA Members | $100 Non-Members

2 WWCP Credits

In part three of the WSIA's series on rating exams, Dr. Edward Dagher will speak on rating impairment of the hip, leg, knee, ankle and foot.

Participants will:

• Understand lower extremity impairment rating for the hip, knee, ankle and foot.
• Understand how conditions of the lower extremities are rated including knee and hip replacement, meniscal tears, ACL reconstruction, ankle fusions, etc...
• Understand the familiarity doctor's ought to have with the AMA Guides prior to performing the rating exam.
• Understand proper use of the Guides.
• Understand how to review an IME and when to request clarification.

Using the AMA Guides to Rate Shoulder, Arm, Elbow, Wrist, Hand and Conditions of the Upper Extremities
$60 WSIA Members | $100 Non-Members

2 WWCP Credits

In part two of WSIA's series on rating exam, Dr. Edward Dagher will explore the issue of upper extremity impairment including shoulders, elbows, wrists and hands.

Participants will:

• Understand upper extremity impairment rating for the shoulder, elbow, arm, wrist and hands.
• Understand how conditions such as ulnar neuritis, carpal tunnel syndrome, rotator cuff syndrome and fusions impact the rating exam.
• Understand the role that pain plays or doesn't play in determining impairment.
• Understand the judgment needed to determine whether or not to do an IME, consult or rating exam.
• Understand how the AMA Guides came to be used including its history and which version and what parts of the AMA guide are used in Washington to determine upper extremity impairment.
• Understand the familiarity doctors ought to have in Washington with using the Guides to rate upper extremity impairment.
• Understand proper use of the Guides.
• Understand how to review an IME and when to request clarification.

Intro to the AMA Guides
$60 WSIA Members | $100 Non-Members

2 WWCP Credits

This is part one of our five-part fall series on impairment rating evaluations and psychiatric independent medical exams.
In part one, experienced independent medical examiner Dr. Edward Dagher will introduce us to the American Medical Association Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment, 5th Edition (“AMA Guides”), used to rate permanent impairment in Washington. His introduction will include information regarding the use and the development of the AMA Guides for rating impairment.

Participants will learn:

• How the Guides came to be used including their history and which version and what parts of the AMA Guides are used in Washington.
• Understand the familiarity doctors in Washington should have with using the Guides to rate impairment on their own patients.
• Understand proper use of the Guides. 
• Understand how to review an IME and when to request clarification regarding an impairment rating determination. 
• Understand maximum medical improvement (MMI)

Follow the Yellow Brick Road - Understanding the Right Direction between Conflicting Policies, Board Decisions and Other Laws
$60 WSIA Members | $100 Non-Members

1.5 WWCP Statutory Credits

One of the most challenging issues faced by WSIA members is how to decipher the difference between administrative policies, regulations, statutes, Board decisions, court decisions, and more. There is no easy path or road to follow so we have enlisted the help of the Honorable Lynn D.W. Hendrickson Assistant Chief Judge for Appeals at the Board of Industrial Insurance Appeals and Attorney Nicole Tedrow from Eims Graham, PS to give you guidance regarding the right direction to follow for better claims management and resolution. Their presentation will cover some of the most current policies and legal decisions that employers, claims managers, attorneys, medical providers others involved in workers' compensation need to know.

Effective Consultant Use for "Plus" Claims Results
$60 WSIA Members | $100 Non-Members

1.5 WWCP Credits

Do you have claims that are difficult and challenging to manage? Could the involvement of a consultant help produce a better a better outcome for the worker and employer? Led by Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor Julie Busch from Strategic Consulting Services, Inc. and experienced Claims Examiner Charita Dumas, this webinar will share their expertise and knowledge and answer questions on the best use of consultants for successful claims outcomes. Questions addressed will include the why, how, when and where for using consultants for positive claims resolution. How do you best identify whether additional assistance help claims management, and if so, how do you best sort out the right service among the professional fields that assist and support claims? While not every claim situation is right for consultants, Julie and Charita will share real life experiences on what the effective use of consultants looks like.

New WAC Changes for Mental Health Conditions
$60 WSIA Members | $100 Non-Members

1.5 WWCP Statutory Credits

John Klor of Wallace, Klor and Mann, PC, will share his popular annual rundown of key legislative, legal, regulatory, and administrative changes over the past year. Significant issues up for discussion in the 90 minute webinar will include important Washington Supreme Court and Court of Appeals decisions over the past year, such as the Gorre and Larson cases on the firefighters' occupational disease presumption, as well as important decisions and trends coming from the Board of Industrial Insurance Appeals.

Better Safe Than Sorry - Navigating DOSH Inspections and Penalties

$60 WSIA Members | $100 Non-Members

1.5 WWCP Statutory Credits

Inspections, citations, and penalties from the Department of Labor & Industries' Division of Occupational Safety & Health (DOSH) happen to even the best employers. With the already-implemented increases in penalties in Washington as well as federal OSHA catch-up increases expected in 2016, employers need to be prepared and know what to do before and after the safety inspector's arrival. This webinar offers an overview of recent DOSH penalty increases; preplanning for unexpected safety inspections, and when to consider legal counsel. Attorney Jennifer Truong of Reinisch Wilson Weier and Steve Heist, Safety Director for Approach Management Services share critical information that every employer and safety director should be aware of to address DOSH inspections and penalties. Jennifer and Steve's presentation blends recent and upcoming changes in the law with real-world examples to assist attendees in improving and monitoring safety compliance.

Your Most Difficult Claims: A Legal Perspective
$60 WSIA Members | $100 Non-Members

1.5 WWCP Statutory Credits

Workers' compensation litigators Tim Reeve of Reeve Shima, P.C. and Ryan Miller of Thomas Hall & Associates guide you through recent legal issues that impact claim management on "Your Most Difficult Claim." Tim and Ryan look at current claims they are representing employers on with a focus on current cases and other recent changes in the law affecting claim management.
Questions considered will include the following:

• What trends in Board and judicial decisions are evident, and what impact will they have on complex claims management?
• Is there such a thing as a "Coston" effect occurring on your claims? 
• Are structured settlements and the recently passed vocational rehabilitation legislation having an impact on your claims? 
• In hindsight are there steps and employers and claims managers should take to limit the impact of difficult claims?

The KEY Link: Understanding the Complicated Relationship between Work and Medical Diagnosis
$60 WSIA Members | $100 Non-Members

1.5 WWCP Credits

Stephen Fuller, M.D, Medical Director for impartial, guides you through the process of determining whether an injury claim is casually related to work. Dr. Fuller's background includes graduation from medical school in Dublin, Ireland, in 1968. Next, he completed his orthopedic/hand residency at Johns Hopkins and Union Memorial hospitals in Baltimore, in 1974. He was appointed to the academic staff at the University of Colorado and later at the University of Maryland, prior to establishing a full-time private practice in the late 1970’s. He is Medical Director at impartial where he analyzes the most complex cases and mentor’s new physicians. Dr. Fuller has extensive experience with determining work-relatedness in several different states.

He explores the following questions in his presentation:

• Is it an aggravation of a pre-existing condition?
• What should I do with newly contended conditions?
• Is it an injury or an occupational disease?
• What role do independent medical exam's play in determining work-relatedness?
• These and many other questions will be addressed.

Workplace Safety: Active Shooter on the Loose
$60 WSIA Members | $100 Non-Members

1.5 WWCP Credits

Carol Tresca from the City of Yakima shares concepts for a replicable action plan for when emergencies such as an active shooter, bomb threat, hazardous spill, earthquake or other urgent/emergent event that could endanger employees takes place.

Complex Regional Pain Syndrome: What Every Claim Manager Needs to Know
$60 WSIA Members | $100 Non-Members

1.5 WWCP Credits

Understanding Complex Regional Pain Syndrome when it comes to injury claims has become a thorny issue on both legal and medical fronts. Dr. Edward Dagher in concert with Lauren K. Oda of Sather, Byerly and Holloway tackle the difficult and challenging topic of complex regional pain syndrome from both a medical and legal perspective.

Questions covered include the following:

• What causes Complex Regional Pain Syndrome?
• How is it diagnosed? 
• Should I think about getting an independent medical exam when the condition is diagnosed? 
• What kinds of effective treatments are out there for the condition?

Straight Talk with Dr. Friedman: An Insider's Look into IIMAC
$60 WSIA Members | $100 Non-Members

1.5 WWCP Credits

Presented by Dr. Andrew Friedman, Director of the Spine Clinic at the Virginia Mason Medical Center in Seattle. Many of us have heard about the Industrial Insurance Medical Advisory Committee (IIMAC) but may or may not know the issues that they deal with and their effect on treating employees injured at work. IIMAC advises the Department on all matters related to health care, including treatment guidelines and coverage decisions, technology assessments, and treatment regulations. For example, the committee is currently discussing guidelines such as treating Proximal Median Nerve Entrapment (PMNE) and Cervical Myopathy and Radiculopathy. Dr. Friedman, who currently serves as Vice-Chair of IIMAC, shares updates on the committee's current and future issues and how they relate to medical care of injured workers.

Labor Market Survey/Research: A New Approach to LMS Focused on the Injured Worker and Grounded in Objective and Reliable Data
$60 WSIA Members | $100 Non-Members

2.5 WWCP Credits

Presented by Jan Donley, CRC, J. Donley & Associates and Cloie Johnson, M.Ed., ABVE, CCM, OSC Vocational Systems. The Labor Market Survey is utilized by Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors (VRCs) in assessing an injured worker's ability to work and suitability for return to work as the soonest safe time. VRCs hold the requisite education, are nationally certified, must adhere to a code of ethics, and are experienced and qualified to utilize their specialized knowledge to provide analysis and labor market survey/research. Because all measures of research carry with them a standard level of error, the LMS/R proposes to reduce redundancy, promote a higher level of objectivity, and help to neutralize LMS validity issues based on the characteristics of employers and respondents (firm’s size/relevance to job, respondent’s position, tenure, familiarity with job, general mood, the way a question is phrased, resistance, etc.). This comprehensive and transparent analysis completed by the VRC will promote accuracy, strengthen case outcomes and decrease costs through the reduction of subjective data collection methods.

Beyond Coston: Understanding the Self-Insurance Penalty Process
$60 WSIA Members | $100 Non-Members

1.5 WWCP Statutory Credits

Presented by Attorney Brett Schoepper. One of the greatest fears of Self-Insured employers and claim managers alike is to be penalized by Labor & Industries. This insightful workshop from the Law Office of Gress and Clark delves into the penalty process and offer advice on how to avoid penalties and what steps to take if a penalty is received.

Treating Chronic Pain in Workers' Compensation - An Inside Out Approach
$60 WSIA Members | $100 Non-Members

1.5 WWCP Credits

Too often claims managers hear employees diagnosed with chronic pain, and seek to better understand what it means both for the employee and for their claim. Dr. Michael Harris, Clinical Director and Psychologist for Pacific Rehabilitation Centers (formerly United Back Care) has worked in the field of chronic pain for a number of years. His presentation provides practical guidance on some of the difficult questions around chronic pain management:

• How is chronic pain diagnosed and when does it become an issue in claim management?
• How does chronic pain affect the return to work process? 
• How is the return to work impacted by the use of pain medication? 
• What are the current best treatments available for chronic pain? 
• What does CARF accreditation mean and why should I care about it?
  

Special emphasis is placed on how to understand a diagnosis of chronic pain and what it means for employers, employees, vocational rehabilitation consultants, doctors, lawyers and claim managers.

Is it Allowable? - Understanding Hand and Arm Conditions in Workers' Compensation
$60 WSIA Members | $100 Non-Members

1.5 WWCP Credits

Knowing and understanding how to determine work-relatedness of hand and arm conditions is a challenging issue for both claims managers and employers alike. Dr. Matthew Drake, Hand Surgeon at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, guides you through claim diagnosis, allowance and treatment for some of the difficult issues when hands and arms are injured at work.

Topics covered include the following:

• When to do an exam.
• Purpose of exam including claim allowance, denial, closure, segregation, treatment, etc... 
• The importance of complete records. 
• Choosing the right doctors and specialties for the exam. 
• Creating cover letters that get results. 
• The difference between good and bad questions. 
• When to request addendums.

Marijuana in the Workplace: A Tricky Proposition
$60 WSIA Members | $100 Non-Members

1.5 Statutory WWCP Credits

Marijuana and its use is now a fact of life in Washington. It is legal for both recreational and medicinal use, but what does that mean for claim management and employers? This webinar addresses both the legality and impairment issues associated with marijuana. Erin Sullivan-Byorick an attorney with Vandeberg, Johnson and Gandara, LLP and David Michaelsen, the Director of Separation Science & Toxicology for Pathology Associates Medical Laboratories help you to better understand the marijuana conundrum. Issues covered include:

• Are there different results (levels of amount of Marijuana in the system) that show up on the test results?
• What constitutes a positive test in Washington?
• How would Labor & Industries address the use of Medical Marijuana issue as it relates to employment? 
• Now that Marijuana is a legal substance in Washington, what is L & I's official position regarding its use? 
• Can an employee's return to work be complete and/or claim be closed when the employee is using Marijuana to manage pain? 
• Is the prescribing of Marijuana going to be placed in medical practice guidelines and best practices? If so, when? And how will this affect a physician from being on the DLI approved provider list? 
• What is the impact or effectiveness of other medication and marijuana? 
• How long does marijuana stay in a person's system? 
• In comparison to alcohol, how does Marijuana impact our ability to function? 
• What are the long-term effects of marijuana use?

The Aging Workforce - Will Your Company Adapt?
$60 WSIA Members | $100 Non-Members

1.5 WWCP Credits

As the retirement age creeps ever upward, employers, claim managers, legal representatives and vocational consultants will need to be aware of the changes they might need to make to accommodate their aging work forces. This presentation by Dr. Clyde Wilson looks at the changes employers can make in their workplaces for their older employees both with and without claims. Questions answered will include:

• Understanding the connection between "age" and work.
  
• Is my work space age friendly?
  
• Are the medical conditions of my older employees being considered?
  
• Am I being flexible enough with my work schedule?
  
• Are there discussions I should be having with my employees about their needs in the workplace?

Getting a Grip on Psychiatric Diagnoses in WC Claims
$60 WSIA Members | $100 Non-Members

1.5 WWCP Credits

Employers and claim managers alike are often befuddled, perplexed or doubt the validity of injuries with psychiatric conditions attached to them. Brian Grant, M.D., President and Medical Director of Medical Consultants Network helps you to better understand and manage claims when psychiatric diagnoses are involved. Topics covered include how psychiatric diagnoses become part of claims and how to address psychiatric issues when they do become part of claims. Special emphasis is placed on the following diagnoses often associated with claims: depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and malingering. This webinar is for employers, claim managers, attorneys, nurse consultants and vocational consultants who deal with these issues in the course of a claim.

The Alphabet of Accommodation: WC, ADA, FMLA & WLAD
$60 WSIA Members | $100 Non-Members

1.5 WWCP Statutory Credits

Attorney Betsy Reeve of Reeve Shima, P.C. helps sort out the complicated alphabet of disability accommodation laws and their relationship to workplace injuries. Betsy looks at the individual laws like workers' compensation (WC), the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), and the Washington Law Against Discrimination (WLAD) -- to name just a few -- and reviews how they may or may not interact with one another and how they impact employment and claim management.
Questions considered will include the following:

• Can an employer require an employee to return to work?
• How long should a transitional duty position last? 
• How long should the recovery time out of work last? 
• Can a transitional duty program have a set time frame? 
• To make return to work accommodations, must the employer meet with the employee or will a letter sent to the employee suffice? 
• Are indefinite periods of time out of work permissible? 
• Can the injured employee refuse to accept a transitional work assignment?

The IME: All You Ever Wanted to Know (But were afraid to ask)
$60 WSIA Members | $100 Non-Members

1.5 WWCP Credits

The decision to schedule an Independent Medical Exam (IME) is one of the toughest calls a claims manager makes. Dr. Thomas Hutchinson, CIME, and Lise Niggemyer of Inland Medical Evaluations in Spokane guide you through the IME process and how to get the best results. Topics covered include the following:

• When to do an exam.
• Purpose of exam including claim allowance, denial, closure, segregation, treatment, etc... 
• The importance of complete records. 
• Choosing the right doctors and specialties for the exam. 
• Creating cover letters that get results. 
• The difference between good and bad questions. 
• When to request addenda.