36th annual national workers' compensation and occupational

Preconferences July 19, 2016

l Negotiating Skills for Workers’ Compensation and Occupational Health Professionals

l Managing & Defending Workers’ Compensation Claims: For Workers’ Compensation and Occupational Health Professionals

l Return to Work: Evidence Based Skills and Strategies

l ADA and FMLA: In Depth

www.WorkersCompensationConference.com

CAPE COD

July 20-22, 2016

36th Annual SEAK, Inc. National Workers’ Compensation and Occupational Medicine Conference

See pages 28–29 for exhibiting

information

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36th Annual National Workers’ Compensation and Occupational Medicine Conference

Check here if you require special accommodations to fully participate.

First Name (as it will appear on name badge):

Last Name:

Title: Degree(s):

Company/Organization:

Mailing Address:

City: State: Zip:

Phone: Fax:

E-Mail: (Please print neatly - confirmations and other information will be sent via e-mail)

I’ve enclosed a check payable to: SEAK, Inc.

OR I’m Paying by Credit Card (please circle card type) MC / Visa / Amex / DISC

Card Number: Exp. Date:

Name as it appears on the card: Security Code:

Signature:

Priority Code: WCSEMINAR2016Please print or type all items to assure accuracy. All confirmations will be sent to the individual indicated.

MAIL to: SEAK, Inc., P.O. Box 729, Falmouth, MA 02541 FAX to: 508.540.8304 CALL: 508.457.1111 or REGISTER ONLINE: www.seak.com

Please register me for the following preconference (choose one): *A 20% discount is available for two or more people registering together from the same company

July 19, 2016 ($395 on or before March 31, 2016; $445 April 1, 2016–June 30, 2016; $495 After June 30, 2016) Negotiating Skills for Workers’ Compensation and Occupational Health Professionals Managing & Defending Workers’ Compensation Claims: For Workers’ Compensation and

Occupational Health Professionals Return to Work: Evidence Based Skills and Strategies ADA and FMLA: In Depth

Please register me for the main conference: *A 20% discount is available for two or more people registering together from the same company

36th Annual National Workers’ Compensation and Occupational Medicine Conference July 20–22, 2016 ($995 on or before March 31, 2016; $1095 April 1, 2016–June 30, 2016; $1195 After June 30, 2016)

Seminars available on DVD: (Add 6.25% sales tax if shipped to MA)

Advanced Neurology for Workers’ Compensation and Occupational Health Professionals ($395) Advanced Orthopedics for Workers’ Compensation and Occupational Health Professionals ($395) Causation of Occupational Injuries: Fact & Fiction ($395) Evidence Based Medicine in Workers’ Compensation ($395)

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pensationconference.comJuly 20–21, 2016, Hyannis, Cape Cod, Massachusetts

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Join us on Cape Cod for SEAK’s 36th Annual National Workers’ Compensation and Occupational Medicine Conference. SEAK has been proud to provide cutting edge, unbiased education to over 10,000 workers’ compensation and occupational medicine professionals since 1980. You will leave SEAK with numerous priceless tips that you can take back to immediately help you, your employer and your practice. As you can see from the following detailed course information, we offer a top notch faculty, relevant and timely topics, continuing education credits, and numerous breakouts so that you can customize your learning experience.

Hyannis is located in the heart of Cape Cod, which is one of the top ten travel destinations in the U.S. The Cape offers warm water beaches, dining options for every taste, shopping, biking, hiking, fishing, museums, and entertainment. Our site hotel is located very close to the ferry terminals so that you can also easily explore the world famous islands of Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket.

July 20–22, 2016, Hyannis, Cape Cod, Massachusetts

“One of the top I have attended on a national level.”

“I find this conference my one-stop education experience

each year!”

“Great conference! Looking forward to

next year. Absolutely fantastic.”

“Excellent! The expertise of your speakers was exceptional!”

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REGISTRATION INFORMATION/DISCOUNTS: Tuition is $995 on or before March 31, 2016; $1095 April 1, 2016-June 30, 2016; $1195 After June 30, 2016. Your tuition includes handout materials to be distributed at the door, coffee breaks, reception, three continental breakfasts, a social event on Thursday night, and two conference luncheons with faculty. Tuition for each preconference is $395 on or before March 31, 2016; $445 April 1, 2016-June 30, 2016; $495 After June 30, 2016. A 20% discount is available for two or more persons registering together from the same company. You can save up to 33% when you register early and bring a colleague.

CONTINUING EDUCATION CREDIT: Please see below and pages 20, 22, 24, and 26 for continuing education information.

CONFERENCE CANCELLATIONS: Conference cancellations received in writing on or before June 30, 2016 will receive a full refund. Persons canceling after June 30, 2016 will not receive a refund, but will receive a full tuition credit.

TRAVEL INFORMATION: Hyannis is 70-80 miles from the Boston and Providence airports and also has its own regional airport with flights from Boston and New York. There is even bus service that connects Boston with Hyannis if you prefer to not rent a car. You can drive to the Cape from all of the Northeast U.S.

HOTEL ACCOMMODATIONS: SEAK’s 2016 Conference will be held at The Resort and Conference Center at Hyannis. SEAK has secured a special group rate of $165/night for single/double occupancy plus tax. Rooms are limited and this rate expires on June 18, 2016. To make your reservations, please call 866-828-9111 and refer to the SEAK Group rate. Overflow Hotel: We have reserved a limited block of overflow rooms at The Holiday Inn Hyannis at a discounted rate ($179 single/double). To make your reservations, please call (508) 775-1153 and identify yourselves as being with the SEAK, Inc. group or go to www.holidayinn.com/hyannisma and enter group code “SEA”. Free shuttle service will be provided between the Holiday Inn and the site hotel. Alternative Lodging: As a tourist destination, the Hyannis area has numerous alternative lodging options for different tastes and budgets. Hyannis features national chains such as Holiday Inn, Courtyard by Marriott, Doubletree, Fairfield Inn and Suites, and Comfort Inn as well as numerous independent inns, hotels and bed and breakfasts. Since our dates are not over weekends there is typically wide lodging availability.

EXHIBITING/ADVERTISING INFORMATION: We expect hundreds of conference attendees and have a limited number of exhibiting booths available. To reserve your booth or for advertising opportunities please contact Alex Babitsky at (508) 457-5150 or via email at [email protected]. Please see pages 28–29 for more information.

MAIN CONFERENCE CONTINUING EDUCATION CREDIT INFORMATION: Note: If your specialty does not appear below and you desire credits, please contact Karen Cerbarano ([email protected] or 781-826-4974). We can often obtain desired credits upon request, but unfortunately, obtaining some types of credits are not feasible. Please register early, as we can only apply for credits after your registration form has been received and it can take time to get the requested approvals back from the accrediting agencies.

Attorneys: Please request CLE credits when mailing in your registration form. Credit hours vary by state, usually in the range of 16.5 – 20.5 credit hours. Case Managers: 18 contact hours of continuing education for Case Managers have been applied for from the Commission for Case Manager Certification, St. Paul, Minnesota. Disability Specialists: 18 contact hours of continuing education for Disability Specialists have been applied for from the Commission for Disability Management Specialists, Schaumburg, Illinois. Nurses: To successfully complete a program and receive contact hours you must: 1) register in, 2) be present for the period of time you are awarded contact hours, 3) complete and hand in the evaluation. Occupational Health Nurses: This activity has been submitted to the American Association of Occupational Health Nurses (AAOHN) for approval to award contact hours. The American Association of Occupational Nurses (AAOHN) is an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation. Physical Therapists: Continuing Physical Therapy credits vary by state, and will only be applied for if requested in writing on the conference registration form. Physicians: SEAK, Inc. is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians. SEAK, Inc. designates this live activity for a maximum of 16.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s).™ Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity. Rehabilitation Counselors: 18 contact hours of continuing education hours for Rehabilitation Counselors have been applied for from the Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification, Schaumburg, Illinois. Rehabilitation Nurses: This program will be accepted for 18.0 CNE’s for ARN Certification when you submit your certificate.

NOTE: Any and all commercial products or services displayed or advertised at the 2016 SEAK Conference are neither endorsed by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation nor SEAK, Inc. SEAK does not accept commercial support for its programs and does not use faculty members with conflicts of interest.

PRECONFERENCES: Continuing education credit information for the preconferences is found on pages 20, 22, 24, and 26.

Registration Informationw

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July 20–21, 2016, Falmouth, Cape Cod, Massachusetts

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Q. What sets SEAK apart? A. Our conference is interdisciplinary, permitting professionals of many professions and disciplines to interact with and learn from one another. In addition, we feature very highly credentialed speakers who are leaders in their fields.

Q. What do you do differently to you ensure that your presentations are bias free? A. Unlike other conferences, we don’t attempt to manage or mitigate/disclose speakers with conflicts of interest – we exclude them.

Q. Do you offer any discounts on tuition? A. Yes. Early registration discounts of up to $200/per person are available. In addition, we offer a 20% discount for two or more people registering together from the same company. You can save up to 33% if you register early and bring a colleague.

Q. What are my lodging options beyond the site hotel? A. As a tourist destination, the Hyannis area has numerous alternative lodging options for different tastes and budgets. Hyannis features national chains such as Holiday Inn, Courtyard by Marriott, Doubletree, Fairfield Inn and Suites, Comfort Inn as well as numerous independent inns, hotels and bed and breakfasts. Since our dates are not over weekends there is typically wide lodging availability.

Q. Who will I be able to network with at the conference? A. The diversity of our conference is one of our strengths. Typical attendees are anyone interested in reducing workers’ compensation costs and improving employee health along with their employer’s bottom line. This includes occupational physicians and nurses, risk managers, attorneys, executives, case managers, insurers, employers, TPAs, adjusters, etc. We also will have numerous exhibitors at the conference.

Q. What are my options for getting to the Cape? A. There are many. You can drive from anywhere in the Northeast, fly in to major airports in Boston or Providence (70 and 80 miles respectively) and rent a car, or connect into Hyannis’ own regional airport. There is even bus service from Boston if you prefer not to rent a car.

Q. Will I have time to get out and enjoy the Cape? A. Yes. Our sessions start early each day so that they can end between 3:40 and 4:40 in the afternoon.This will allow you several hours of daylight (sunset is around 8pm in July) to enjoy the Cape, as well as every evening.

Q. Do you offer continuing education credit? A. Yes. Credits are available for many specialties, please see page 4.

Q. What if I have additional questions about the conference? Who can I speak with? A. You may call our president, Steve Babitsky on his direct line 508-548-9443 and he will be pleased to speak with you.

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8:00–8:50 REGISTRATION AND CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST

8:50–9:00 INTRODUCTORY REMARKS, ANNOUNCEMENTS

9:00–9:50 The Affordable Care Act: Its Likely Impact on Workers’ Compensation and Occupational Medicine Dean Hashimoto, JD, MD Partners Occupational Health Services

9:50–10:00 EXHIBITS AND NETWORKING OPPORTUNITY

10:00–10:50 Catastrophic Workers’ Compensation Claims: Investigation, Evaluation, Settlement, and Trial Amy E. Bilton, Esq Nyhan, Bambrick, Kinzie, & Lowry


11:00–12:00 Health Productivity and Wellness: How to Measure and Improve Outcomes Charles Yarborough, MD, MPH, FACOEM, FACPM CYHealthAssociates

12:00–1:30 LUNCH (PROVIDED WITH FACULTY) & EXHIBITS

1:30–2:30 BREAKOUT SESSIONS, CHOOSE ONE

A. Occupational Shoulder Injuries: Diagnosis, Treatment, and Return to Work Michael Ackland, MD New England Baptist Hospital

B. Simplifying the Approach to Building a Successful Return to Work Program Christina Bergman, CWCP, CHRS Aon Corp.

C. Marijuana in the Workplace: What Workers’ Compensation and Occupational Professionals Need to Know Linda Meuleveld, BA, RN, COHN-S, CCM, FAAOHN Med Manage Consulting, LLC

Paula Barran, Esq., PhD Barran Liebman LLP



A. OSHA for Workers’ Comp and Occupational Medicine Professionals: Latest Developments Gary W. Auman, Esq.

Dunlevey Mahan & Furry

B. Navigating the Complex Issues of Occupational Asthma Clayton T. Cowl, MD, MS Mayo Clinic

C. Evidence Based Rehabilitation and Return to Work Dean Schimanski, OTR/L, CEAS PRORehab, PC



A. Managing Pain and Return to Work: Before it is Too Late James Atchison, DO Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago

B. Integrated Disability Management: Evidence Based Success David Taylor, ARM, CWCP, RWCS Reyes Holdings

Renee Mattaliano, MA, CRC, CDMS HUB International

C. Risk Management Prevention: Strategies That Work Pamela Treadwell-Rubin, Esq Goering, Roberts, Rubin, Brogna, Enos, and Treadwell-Rubin, PC

5:00–6:00 NETWORKING RECEPTION

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Main Conference: Day 1Wednesday, July 20, 2016

PRECONFERENCESTuesday, July 19, 2016

Negotiating Skills for Workers’ Compensation and Occupational Health Professionals

Steven Babitsky, Esq.

Managing & Defending Workers’ Compensation Claims: For Workers’ Compensation and Occupational Health Professionals

Shenan Pellegrini, Esq.

Return to Work: Evidence Based Skills and Strategies

Jason Parker, BHK

ADA and FMLA: In Depth

Adam P. Forman, Esq.

John D. Doran, Esq.

Registration is limited. Register Today!

36th Annual

SEAK, Inc.

National Workers’

Compensation

and Occupational

Medicine

Conference

July 20–22, 2016

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7:00–8:00 CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST AND EXHIBITS

8:00–8:50 A View from the Bench: How Workers’ Compensation and Occupational Health Professionals Can Make a Difference

The Honorable Kirsten Tate Office of Administrative Hearings

8:50–9:00 EXHIBITS & NETWORKING OPPORTUNITY

9:00–9:50 Interventional Pain Procedures: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Leon Ensalada, MD, MPH


10:00–10:50 Fighting Workers’ Compensation Employee Fraud

Norm Burdick, Esq. Garofalo, Schreiber & Storm 10:50–11:00 EXHIBITS & NETWORKING OPPORTUNITY

11:00–12:00 Low Back Pain and Return to Work: Evidence Based Recommendations

Michael Erdil, MD, FACOEM Occupational and Environmental Health Network

12:00–1:30 LUNCH (ON YOUR OWN) & EXHIBITS


A. ADA Latest Developments for Workers’ Compensation and Occupational Health Professionals

Leigh M. Schultz, Esq. Miller Canfield

B. How Digital Health and Big Data Can Improve Clinical Outcomes in Workers’ Compensation and Occupational Medicine

Stephen Shaya, MD, MS J&B Medical C. FMCSAs Medical Requirements

for Commercial Drivers: Latest Developments

Elaine Papp, RN, MSN, COHN-S Health and Safety Works, LLC



A. Defending the Workers’ Compensation Claim: Expanding Role of Social Media T. Nicole Tackett, Esq. Vernis & Bowling of Charlotte, PLLC

B. Aging Workforce: What Workers’ Compensation and Occupational Health Professionals Need to Know

Michelle Despres, PT, CEAS II Align Networks

C. Occupational Hand Injuries: Diagnosis, Treatment, and Return to Work

Glen Seidman, MD South Shore Orthopedics

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Main Conference: Day 2Thursday, July 21, 2016

Main Conference: Day 3Friday, July 22, 2016


8:00–8:50 Preventing Needless Disability: An Evidence Based Approach

Robert Aurbach, JD


9:00–9:50 Mechanism of Injury: What Every Workers’ Compensation and

Occupational Health Professional Needs to Know Robert Hand, Esq. Jones, Hurley & Hand, P.A. 9:50–10:00 EXHIBITS & NETWORKING OPPORTUNITY

10:00–10:50 Managing the Needs of the Aging Injured Worker: Proactive Solutions

Kevin Glennon RN, BSN, CDMS One Call Care Management 10:50–11:00 EXHIBITS & NETWORKING OPPORTUNITY

11:00–12:00 Problem Employees: How and When to Use Psychiatric Consultations

Ronald Schouten, MD, JD Massachusetts General Hospital



A. FMLA: Fighting Abuse Jeffrey S. Brody, Esq. Jackson Lewis P.C. B. Occupational Knee Injuries:

Latest Developments Benjamin Thompson, MD Access Sports Medicine

C. Traumatic Brain Injury Return to Work: Evidence-Based Approach

David D. Nowell, PhD Nowell Neuropsychological Services, Inc.



A. Fitness for Duty Exams: The Flipside of Return to Work

Larry Nahmias, MD B. Taking an Evidence-Based,

Multidisciplinary Approach to Workers’ Compensation Case Management

Sandra J. Zawalski, RN, BSN, CRRN, CCM, MSCC, ABDA HealthSpan

C. Workers’ Compensation Winning Strategies: What Works

Peter A. Pentz, Esq. Knox McLaughlin Gornall & Sennett, P.C.

8:00–9:30 SOCIAL EVENT TBA

Register early and save up to $300!

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8:00–8:50 REGISTRATION, CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST AND EXHIBITS

8:50–9:00 INTRODUCTORY REMARKS, ANNOUNCEMENTS

9:00–9:50 The Affordable Care Act: Its Likely Impact on Workers’ Compensation and Occupational Medicine Dean Hashimoto, JD, MDDr. Hashimoto will discuss the likely direct and indirect effects of the ACA on workers’ compensation and occupational medicine. He will offer the available studies on the impact of the ACA on: the reduction of workers’ compensation claims, healthcare coverage under Medicare and Medicaid, workers’ comp costs, wellness programs, and the availability of healthcare providers for workers’ compensation claimants. Dr. Hashimoto will offer practical suggestions for workers’ compensation and occupational professionals to prepare for the ACA. Questions & Answers.

Dean Hashimoto, JD, MD is a physician and attorney. Dr. Hashimoto serves as the Chief of Occupational and Environmental Medicine for Partners HealthCare and is the physician responsible for overseeing the Occupational Health Services provided to 64,000 employees at the Massachusetts General Hospital, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and the other seven affiliated hospitals. He works as a state regulator through his service as the chair of the state medical board that is responsible for overseeing the quality of health care provided in the Massachusetts workers’ compensation system. He conducts research as the site principal

investigator for the NIOSH-funded Harvard Center for Work, Wellness, and Well-being at the MGH and Brigham and Women’s Hospital. He teaches health care law and policy at the Boston College Law School, where he is an Associate Professor of Law and is the faculty director of the joint JD/MPH program with Tufts School of Medicine. Before joining the law faculty, he was a health care attorney at Ropes & Gray law firm in Boston. He is a graduate of the Yale Law School and served as a law clerk for the U.S. Supreme Court. He is also a graduate of the University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine and completed medical residency programs and fellowships at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital and the Harvard School of Public Health. He has published numerous articles on how business organizations and regulatory structures impact the delivery of health care, and has additional academic appointments at Harvard Medical School, Harvard School of Public Health, and Tufts School of Medicine.


10:00–10:50 Catastrophic Workers’ Compensation Claims: Investigation, Evaluation, Settlement, and Trial Amy E. Bilton, Esq.Attorney Bilton will discuss how workers’ compensation and occupational health professionals can quickly identify potential high exposure/catastrophic claims. She will explain and demonstrate, with case examples, the need for a thorough and intensive investigation, review of all medical and accident records, prior claims, injuries, and pre-existing conditions. Attorney Bilton will provide insight into determining the exposure of the claim and the resources and experts that may need to be utilized in these high exposure/catastrophic claims. Attorney Bilton will offer practical suggestions on how employers, insurers, and self-insurers can often save millions of dollars with the effective handling of catastrophic/high exposure claims. Questions & Answers.

Amy E. Bilton, Esq. is a shareholder and workers’ compensation defense trial attorney in the Chicago law firm of Nyham, Bambrick, Kinzie, and Lowry. She received her BA from the University of Michigan, and her JD from DePaul University College of Law. Attorney Bilton is a frequent lecturer on workers’ compensation and Medicare Set-Asides. She is a member of the Chicago Bas Association, Illinois State Bar Association and Illinois Workers’ Compensation Lawyers Association. She is also a member of the National Alliance of

Medicare Set-Aside Professionals, for which she chairs the legal committee and co-chairs the evidence-based medicine committee. Attorney Bilton has extensive experience in the evaluation, trial, and settlement of catastrophic workers’ compensation claims.


CONFERENCE PROGRAM: WEDNESDAY, JULY 20, 2016, DAY 1

Registration is limited. Register Early and Save!

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pensationconference.comJuly 20–22, 2016, Hyannis, Cape Cod, Massachusetts

11:00–12:00 Health Productivity and Wellness: How to Measure and Improve Outcomes

Charles Yarborough, MD, MPH, FACOEM, FACPMDr. Yarborough will discuss the rise of the worksite wellness movement and the relationship between prevention, health, productivity, and improved outcomes. He will explain and demonstrate, with examples, the benefits of health protection and health promotion strategies. Dr. Yarborough will provide examples of measurement systems available to illustrate how the approach to improving health and well-being of populations is designed to lower healthcare costs, improve productivity of workforce, and reduce the impact of injuries. He will offer practical cost-effective suggestions for measuring and improving outcomes in health productivity and wellness. Questions & Answers.

Charles Yarborough, MD, MPH, FACOEM, FACPM has had over 30 years of experience in guiding health initiatives for global corporations including Exxon, Cyanamid, and Caterpillar. Prior to founding CYHealthAssociates, LLC, Dr. Yarborough was director for medical strategies of Lockheed Martin Corporation based in Bethesda, MD. Dr. Yarborough is board certified in preventive medicine in occupational medicine and internal medicine. Dr. Yarborough serves as vice-president (2015) and president-elect (2016) of the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine after 3 elected terms as a member of the

board of directors. Currently he is the editor of book and media reviews for the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. An author of peer-reviewed publications, Dr. Yarborough has been invited to speak many times at U.S. and international meetings, including an international congress on occupational health held in Stockholm concerning global healthcare delivery systems, and population health management with a TEDx session on Healthy Life Expectancy in 2013.



A. Occupational Shoulder Injuries: Diagnosis, Treatment, and Return to Work

Michael Ackland, MDDr. Ackland will review the common occupational shoulder injuries. He will discuss and demonstrate, with video, the latest advanced techniques in arthroscopic shoulder instability, rotator cuff repair, and shoulder replacement surgery. He will explain the common pitfalls in therapy and treatment and why some patients are slow to recover. Dr. Ackland will offer practical suggestions for early and safe return to work for workers with shoulder injuries. Questions & Answers.

Michael Ackland, MD is a Board Certified Orthopedic Surgeon and Sports Medicine specialist at New England Baptist Hospital (NEBH). He particularly specializes in revision surgery of the shoulder after failed surgery. Dr. Ackland attended medical school and completed his orthopedic residency training at the University of Ottawa, in Ottawa, Canada. He then received his fellowship from the prestigious Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. In addition to his surgical work, Dr. Ackland has served as a clinical instructor in Boston, as well as for students from all over the world. He is certified as an

expert examiner for the Department of Industrial Accidents. Dr. Ackland has been published in the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, and in the Journal of Pediatric Orthopedics, among others. His clinical interests include arthroscopic reconstruction of the shoulder and knee and cartilage transplants of the knee. He teaches and travels around the world, especially Asia. He demonstrates advanced arthroscopic surgical techniques and conducts courses to enable surgeons in other countries to improve their orthopedic care in areas like Cambodia, Myanmar, Thailand, and the Philippines.

B. Simplifying the Approach to Building a Successful Return to Work Program

Christina Bergman, CWCP, CHRSMs. Bergman will discuss the overlapping Workers’ Compensation and Human Resource obligations of employers and how to build and implement a successful temporary transitional duty program. She will provide recommendations to develop a toolkit of best practice forms which objectively guides the return to work process and creates a solid foundation for a successful process. Ms. Bergman will offer practical suggestions and tips to control costs, utilize vendor partners, and remove barriers to create a best in class return to work program. Questions & Answers.


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Christina Bergman, CWCP, CHRS is Managing Consultant, in Risk Control and Casualty Claims for Aon Global Risk Consulting. Ms. Bergman is a Certified Workers’ Compensation Professional as well as a Certified Human Resource Specialist. She is also a licensed insurance broker. She has wide experience in working with employers and lecturing on improving initial safety investigations and improving Workers’ Compensation claim outcomes. Christina is also a Thought Leader within Aon focused on development of innovative claim, safety and risk management solutions. Ms. Bergman has wide experience in developing successful mitigation strategies and 25 years of industry experience with the focus of implementing practical solutions which can be implemented to improve outcomes related to the Total Cost of Risk (TCoR).

C. Marijuana in the Workplace: What Workers’ Compensation and Occupational Professionals Need to Know

Linda Meuleveld, BA, RN, COHN-S, CCM, FAAOHN Paula Barran, Esq., PhDAttorney Barran and Ms. Meuleveld will discuss the recent developments in the medical and legal aspects of marijuana in the workplace including the ADA, drug free workplace, and state laws. They will discuss if and when insurers and self-insurers need to pay for medical marijuana and its use for pain management and treatment. Ms. Meuleveld and Attorney Barran will offer practical suggestions for employers, insurers, and self-insurers to effectively deal with marijuana in the workplace. They will address the recommendations from the ACOEM/AAOHN Joint Task Force on Marijuana in the Workplace. Questions & Answers.

Linda Gifford-Meuleveld, BA, RN, COHN-S, CCM, FAAOHN is an occupational health and safety consultant and trainer at Med Manage Consulting in Salem, Oregon. Ms. Meuleveld has co-presented an AAOHN webinar on Marijuana a “Budding” Issue in the Workplace and is co-author of the AAOHN-ACOEM paper and Sage article on Marijuana in the Workplace: Guidance for Occupational Health Professionals and Employers: Joint Guidance Statement of the American Association of Occupational Health Nurses and the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.

Paula Barran, Esq., PhD a founding partner at Barran Liebman in Portland, Oregon, practices labor and employment law. She has written extensively on management law and is a national speaker and trainer. In addition to providing employer advice, Attorney Barran handles employment litigation in state and federal courts, and labor disputes and employment arbitrations. Attorney Barran received her B.A. from the College of William and Mary, M.A. from Cornell University, Ph.D. from the University of British Columbia, J.D., from Osgoode Hall Law School at York University, and M.B.A. degree from the University of Oregon, Oregon Executive MBA program.



A. OSHA for Workers’ Comp and Occupational Medicine Professionals: Latest Developments

Gary W. Auman, Esq.Attorney Auman will discuss the latest developments in OSHA and how they impact occupational health & safety professionals. He will discuss the use of the General Duty Clause of the OSH Act to enforce safety initiatives against employers. He will review issues including heat stress, distracted driving and how both of these enforcement initiatives may impact the compensability of certain injuries. Attorney Auman will update attendees on new standards such as the construction industry confined space standard; the changes to recordkeeping on the OSHA 300 log and the crystalline silica standard. He will offer recommendations for evaluating OSHA enforcement actions as well as the impact of citations on a company’s safety record. He will explain how, if OSHA proceeds with its current efforts in the area of safety retaliation, decisions made in a workers’ comp claim as well as an OSHA citation have the potential of generating a claim of safety retaliation. Questions & Answers.

Gary Auman, Esq. is a shareholder with the Dayton, Ohio firm of Dunlevey Mahan & Furry. He directs the firm’s administrative law practice in workers’ comp and OSHA. He concentrates his practice in counseling and defending business clients in the area of occupational safety and health compliance and litigation. Attorney Auman is general counsel for the National Insulation Association, the National Frame Building Association, the Midwest Roofing


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contractors Association and the Midwest Insulation Contractors Association. He represents clients nationally and has defended OSHA cases from the state of Washington to Massachusetts. He is a frequent speaker on Occupational Safety and Health topics and has presented papers to the International Roofing Expo, the National Safety Council, the Ohio Self-Insureds Association and many others. Attorney Auman received his Bachelors in Electrical Engineering Degree from the University of Louisville and his J.D. summa cum laude from The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law. He served in the U.S. Air Force from 1969-1973.

B. Navigating the Complex Issues of Occupational Asthma Clayton T. Cowl, MD, MSDr. Cowl will explain the diagnostic strategies for the correct assessment and diagnosis of occupational asthma. He will discuss causation, and the objective evidence used to determine work relatedness. Dr. Cowl will review establishing an approach to impairment and disability estimates, and will offer practical advice on the best practices for managing work restrictions for workers with occupational asthma. Questions & Answers.

Clayton T. Cowl, MD, MS serves as Chair of the Division of Preventive, Occupational & Aerospace Medicine at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota and has a joint appointment in the Division of Pulmonary & Critical Care Medicine. His areas of expertise center on occupation and environmentally-related respiratory illness, including asthma and toxic inhalations. In addition to directing the Occupational Lung Disease Clinic at Mayo, he teaches at the Mayo Medical School, is on the Board of Regents of the American College of Chest Physicians (CHEST), and is President of the Civil Aviation Medical Association. His

research has included work in occupational asthma, respiratory physiology, and respiratory responses at altitude. He has ongoing projects at the Mayo Clinic Hyperbaric & Altitude Medicine facility, including studies of new instruments in aviation such as the emergency passenger oxygen masks placed on board new types of aircraft (such as the new Boeing 787 – The Dreamliner) and other environmental aspects of respiratory disease.

C. Evidence Based Rehabilitation and Return to Work Dean Schimanski, OTR/L, CEASMr. Schimanski will explain the use of FCEs and transitional return to work programs such as Work Conditioning/Hardening to prepare difficult claimants to return to work. He will discuss how to effectively assist claimants with self-limited efforts, symptom magnification syndrome, and maladaptive behaviors to achieve a safe and successful return to work and maintenance at work. Mr. Schimanski will offer practical cost-effective suggestions for use of advanced rehabilitation to bridge the gap between the claimants’ physical condition and the physical demands of the job. Questions & Answers.

Dean Schimanski, OTR/L, CEAS, is a graduate of the Occupational Therapy Program from St. Ambrose University in Davenport, Iowa. He is currently the Associate Program Director for the Industrial Rehabilitation Division at PRORehab, PC. He has focused his practice since 2001 on Functional Capacity Evaluations, objective employment testing, and goal oriented Work Conditioning/Hardening programs for persons who are injured on the job. In addition to clinical responsibilities, he has been an integral member of an outcomes research team focusing on worker’s compensation and Industrial Rehabilitation Services. Dean is a Certified

Ergonomic Assessment Specialist, a member of the American Occupational Therapy, and has presented to employer’s, insurance carriers, and physician groups on the benefits Industrial Rehabilitation Services. He is co-author of “Preparing Difficult Clients to Return to Work.”



A. Managing Pain and Return to Work: Before it is Too Late James Atchison, DODr. Atchison will discuss the crucial nature of early intervention, consideration of psychosocial issues, and functional restoration to achieve favorable outcomes and return to work. He will explain how to identify the psychological and pharmacological “yellow flags” of risk factors for workers with pain and the use of a comprehensive interdisciplinary team to achieve manageable pain. Dr. Atchison will offer practical advice on how employers and occupational health professionals can reduce costs and achieve better outcomes for workers whose pain is keeping them out of work. Questions & Answers.


CONFERENCE PROGRAM: WEDNESDAY, JULY 20, 2016, DAY 1 CO

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James Atchison, DO is the medical director, Center for Pain Management, Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago. He is board certified in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and electrodiagnostic medicine, as well as Subspecialty Certified in Pain Medicine. Dr. Atchison has taught and lectured extensively on pain, occupational medicine, and workers’ compensation, and is a professor in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. In 2010, Dr. Atchison received the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation’s Distinguished Clinician Award for

“competence and compassion in patient care and learned approach to teaching others has earned him the admiration and respect of patients, students, and colleagues.”

B. Integrated Disability Management: Evidence Based Success

David Taylor, ARM, CWCP, RWCS Renee Mattaliano, MA, CRC, CDMSMr. Taylor and Ms. Mattaliano will discuss what integrated disability management should consist of and its relationship to integrated transitional return to work. They will explain the opportunities for reducing workers’ compensation costs and turnovers, increasing productivity, and the decrease of incidence and duration of lost time across workers’ compensation, STD/LTD, and FMLA. Mr. Taylor and Ms. Mattaliano will offer practical suggestions for successfully starting and implementing integrated disability management in the workplace. Questions & Answers.

David Taylor, ARM, CWCP, RWCS is the director, integrated disability management at Reyes Holdings, a $24 billion global leader in food and beverage distribution. Mr. Taylor has written and lectured on integrated disability management and is the former manager of workers’ compensation and integrated disability for Navistar. He received his BA from UNLV. He is a certified workers’ compensation professional (CWCP), a registered workers’ compensation specialist (RWCS), and an Associate in Risk Management (ARM).

Renee Mattaliano, MA, CRC, CDMS is Vice President for HUB international, and leads the Workforce Management Practice. She provides clients with an integrated and comprehensive view of their health and productivity programs. Ms. Mattaliano develops the full cost of absence and assists organizations in developing strategies to reduce lost time and productivity as well its financial impact on the organization. Among a few of the customers she has worked with are, Hospira, HSBC, Reyes Holdings, and ProHealth.

C. Risk Management Prevention: Strategies That Work Pamela Treadwell-Rubin, Esq.Attorney Treadwell-Rubin will explain how to utilize legal counsel for education and training, to prepare good policies and procedures for employers to prevent unnecessary workers’ compensation claims, and better manage them should they occur. She will describe best practices for dealing with the employee successfully at the entry point including the initial interview, the first medical referral, first report, and timely attorney involvement. Attorney Treadwell-Rubin will offer practical, cost-effective, advice on risk management, prevention, and early and safe return to work. Questions & Answers.

Pamela Treadwell-Rubin, Esq. is a workers’ compensation trial defense attorney and partner in the Tucson, Arizona law firm of Goering, Roberts, Rubin, Brogna, Enos, and Treadwell-Rubin, P.C. She received her BA from the University of Arizona and her JD from the University of Arizona Law School. Attorney Treadwell-Rubin is a Past President of the Arizona State Bar, and a workers’ compensation Certified Specialist, also of that State Bar. She has been recognized by “Best Lawyers” in the WC field since 2009. She has served as a Board member of the Arizona Work Disability Prevention Association. She defends workers’

compensation claims on behalf of governmental and self-insured employers and insurance carriers.

5:00–6:00 NETWORKING RECEPTION

“Extremely high quality. Great, timely topics,

taught clearly & concisely by highly qualified faculty.”


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8:00–8:50 Preventing Needless Disability: An Evidence Based Approach Robert Aurbach, JD Robert Aurbach will discuss a way of understanding “disability behavior” that is based on evidence about how the brain works. The “web of disability” described by his approach informs legislative and regulatory strategies and intervention methods designed to prevent or resolve the epidemic of secondary psychological overlay on original injury. He will explain an operational re-definition of resilience and the techniques available to enhance resilience in injured workers and claims professionals. Mr. Aurbach will offer practical cost-effective suggestions on how to change the way injured workers are treated to avoid needless disability and promote safe return to work. Questions & Answers.

Robert Aurbach, JD is an international consultant for governmental and private clients who has helped design workers’ compensation systems throughout the United States and Australia. He was general counsel, New Mexico workers’ compensation administration and has written and lectured on workers’ compensation internationally with over 50 articles and book chapters. Mr. Aurbach is the editor of the Journal of the International Association of Industrial Accident Boards and Commissions. He is currently based in Melbourne, Australia. His current focus is on understanding the factors that allows some workers to recover from physical and psychological injury as expected while others do not.


9:00–9:50 Mechanism of Injury: What Every Workers’ Compensation and Occupational Health Professional Needs to Know Robert Hand, Esq.Attorney Hand will explain how to determine the mechanism of injury with input from the employee, co-employees, investigation, review of available video, and other sources. He will discuss the alternative explanations for cause of the injury, best practices for reviewing prior accidents and injuries, work-related and non-work-related, medical history, and a review of pre-existing conditions and medical records. Attorney Hand will offer practical suggestions and the tools and techniques to support a robust analysis of the mechanism of injuries. Questions & Answers.

Robert Hand, Esq. is an equity partner of the Florida law firm of Jones, Hurley and Hand, P.A. He has extensive experience in the area of Workers’ Compensation Defense, having successfully defended cases involving not only general accidents or injuries, but additionally complex litigation, including repetitive injury and exposure claims. He has extended his litigation focus to the areas of Civil Litigation, Contracts, Subrogation and Employment Law. Despite his demanding schedule, Mr. Hand takes great pride in being heavily involved in the workers’ compensation community, having been the Keynote Speaker for the 60th anniversary

of the Risk Insurance Management Society’s 2010 annual conference. He has been designated an “AV” Peer Review Rated Lawyer by Martindale Hubbell. He received his BBA from the University of Oklahoma and his JD from Vanderbilt University.


10:00–10:50 Managing the Needs of the Aging Injured Worker: Proactive Solutions Kevin Glennon RN, BSN, CDMSMr. Glennon will explain the unique needs and challenges of the aging injured worker. He will discuss equipment needs and changes, additional surgery, medications, liver and kidney issues, and which costs are and are not compensable. Mr. Glennon will offer cost-effective proactive interventions and solutions to manage the needs and safety of the aging injured worker. Questions & Answers.

Kevin Glennon, RN, BSN, CDMS is Vice President of clinical education and quality assurance programs for One Call Care Management in Lake Mary, Florida. Mr. Glennon has written and lectured extensively and has produced more than 30 continuing education programs on workers’ compensation, claims management, long-term disabilities, aging workers, and other related topics. He received his BSN from the State University of New York at Brockport and is Board Certified in workers’ compensation claims administration (CWC) and is a certified disability management specialist.

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CONFERENCE PROGRAM: THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2016, DAY 2 CO

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11:00–12:00 Problem Employees: How and When to Use Psychiatric Consultations Ronald Schouten, MD, JDDr. Schouten will discuss the different roles and responsibilities of the treating psychiatrist and the consulting clinician in dealing with problem employees. He will provide a user guide to assist workers’ compensation and occupational health professionals to successfully navigate the mental health system. Dr. Schouten will explain effective threat assessment to help prevent workplace violence. Dr. Schouten will offer practical suggestions for effectively dealing with problem employees without violating the ADA. Questions & Answers.

Ronald Schouten, MD, JD, is the Director of the Law & Psychiatry Service of the Massachusetts General Hospital and Associate Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. He has served as a teacher, consultant to organizations, and expert witness in both civil and criminal matters. Dr. Schouten practiced employment law in Chicago before attending medical school and has combined his legal and medical training to provide consultation and training to a wide variety of groups and individuals. He has extensive experience as a teacher and consultant in the traditional areas of forensic psychiatry, as well as special expertise in the areas of violence in the workplace, threat assessment, impaired professionals, sexual harassment, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and organizational consultation. Dr. Schouten has played a key role in the development of a number of innovations in the teaching of forensic mental health issues. These include a grand rounds program on mental health issues for Massachusetts’ judges, a Harvard Medical School Continuing Education Program held for legal professionals, the Harvard Medical School Forensic Psychiatry Fellowship, and numerous teaching programs for the Law & Psychiatry Service and Harvard Medical School.



A. FMLA: Fighting Abuse Jeffrey S. Brody, Esq.While most employees use FMLA for its intended purpose, employers spend a disproportionate amount of time dealing with a small minority of employees who look to abuse FMLA leave. Attorney Jeffrey Brody will review common ways that some employees abuse FMLA leave and explain how employers can look to curb such abuse. Among other things, he will discuss such tools as medical certifications and re-certifications, second opinions, transfers to alternative positions, call-in procedures and fraud investigations. He will also give practical suggestions for employers in creating, revising and enforcing their FMLA policies and practices. Questions & Answers.

Jeffrey S. Brody, Esq. is a shareholder and employment lawyer in the Boston office of the national law firm Jackson Lewis P.C., where he is one of the leaders of its Disability, Leave and Health Management Practice Group. He received his J.D. with high honors from the University of Connecticut School of Law. In addition to defending claims before courts and agencies, he routinely advises clients regarding day-to-day employment issues, such as employee discipline and discharge, disability management issues, reductions in force, and restrictive covenants. He also regularly conducts training programs for employers on a variety of employment-related topics, such as disability management, performance management and unlawful harassment/discrimination.

B. Occupational Knee Injuries: Latest Developments Benjamin Thompson, MDDr. Thompson will review the most common occupational knee injuries as well as focused diagnosis algorithms. His presentation will include video overview of common knee procedures, new technologies in knee treatment and the potential pitfalls in treatment and recovery. Dr. Thompson will explain possible reasons for delayed return to work, RTW expectations as well as therapy pearls. Questions & Answers.

Benjamin Thompson, MD is a Board Certified Orthopaedic Surgeon who practices at Access Sports Medicine and Orthopaedics with subspecialty training in arthroscopic surgery and the treatment of sports-related injuries. His surgical interests include arthroscopic and open treatment of knee, ankle, shoulder, and elbow injuries, joint replacement surgery of the shoulder and knee, fracture care and general orthopaedics. In addition, he holds certification in the treatment of cartilage injuries in the knee with articular cartilage implantation and repair. He has published works in both Sports Medicine and Orthopaedic Basic Science. Dr. Thompson completed a Sports Medicine Fellowship at the Andrews Institute in Gulf Breeze, Florida where he trained directly under Dr. James Andrews and Dr. Lonnie Paulos.

CONFERENCE PROGRAM: THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2016, DAY 2

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C. Traumatic Brain Injury Return to Work: Evidence-Based Approach

David D. Nowell, PhDDr. Nowell will discuss how to critically review the medical records for evidence of any functional impairment. He will explain the use of neuropsychological testing for objective evidence, or lack thereof, for the sequelae of TBI. Dr. Nowell will discuss best practices for the provision of care for workers with TBI. He will offer practical rehabilitation of cognitive and social impairment in real social environments, workplace reintegration, and other methods to achieve early and safe return-to-work after a TBI. Questions & Answers.

David D. Nowell, PhD is a clinical neuropsychologist with a practice in Northborough, MA. Dr. Nowell received his BS in psychology from Mississippi College and his PhD in clinical psychology from the University of Alabama. Dr. Nowell has written and lectured extensively on traumatic brain injury (TBI). Dr. Nowell is a physician advisor for the University of Massachusetts Medical School Disability Evaluation Services and provides neuropsychological evaluations for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of Industrial Accidents as well as for the Massachusetts Rehab Commission for Disability Determination Services.



A. Fitness for Duty Exams: The Flipside of Return to Work Larry Nahmias, MDDr. Nahmias will discuss the triggers that may lead to a request for a fitness for duty (FFD) exam and will explain the stakes involved. He will review the key documentation that should be provided to the physician, the typical issues involved in a FFD exam, the examination recommendations, and report writing process. The complexity of doing drug, alcohol and dangerousness assessments for safety sensitive work environments and weapon carrying positions will be discussed using real case material. Questions & Answers.

Larry Nahmias, MD is a physician board certified in psychiatry, forensic psychiatry, pain medicine and addiction psychiatry who practices in Houston, Texas. Dr. Nahmias received his BA from Miami University in Oxford, OH and his MD from the Indiana University School of Medicine. Dr. Nahmias is a highly experienced forensic psychiatrist and has performed numerous IMEs and fitness for duty exams. Dr. Nahmias has evaluated cases for the Texas medical board for over 10 years and has additional experience and expertise in the standards of care for the use of opiates in the treatment of chronic pain.

B. Taking an Evidence-Based, Multidisciplinary Approach to Workers’ Compensation Case Management

Sandra J. Zawalski, RN, BSN, CRRN, CCM, MSCC, ABDAMrs. Zawalski will discuss a multidisciplinary approach to effective case management and will provide a process to implement the approach. She will explain how the multidisciplinary approach and holistic approach work together, the different disciplines involved and the role of the disciplines to make the process effective. Mrs. Zawalski will demonstrate the need for a multidisciplinary approach for aging workers, and will share real case studies and the cost savings achieved in the examples. Questions & Answers.

Sandra J. Zawalski, RN, BSN, CRRN, CCM, MSCC, ABDA is the Manager of case management at HealthSpan and is the chair for the Commission for Case Management Certification. Mrs. Zawalski has written and lectured on case management. She received her BSN at Bowling Green State University and is currently pursuing her MSN. Mrs. Zawalski has had extensive experience in the field and as a director of case management. She is the author of “Taking a multidisciplinary approach to Workers’ Compensation Case Management” as well as other articles.

C. Workers’ Compensation Winning Strategies: What Works Peter A. Pentz, Esq.Attorney Pentz will review the investigation, evaluation, preparation, and trial of the contested workers’ compensation case for the defense. He will review the major available issues to litigate in workers’ compensation claims, including causation, liability, disability, pre-existing conditions, etc. Attorney Pentz will offer practical suggestions on how workers’ compensation and occupational health professionals can assist defense counsel to help win contested workers’ compensation cases. Questions & Answers.

CONFERENCE PROGRAM: THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2016, DAY 2 CO

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Peter A. Pentz, Esq. practices in the area of workers’ compensation, representing employers and insurance carriers throughout Western Pennsylvania and New York. He is certified by the Pennsylvania Bar Association as a specialist in workers’ compensation. Attorney Pentz’s practice includes representing insureds, self-insureds, third party administrators and insurance carriers in all aspects of workers’ compensation as well as defense of heart and lung cases and defense of claims under the Jones and Longshoremen’s Acts. He also counsels employers in ancillary workplace programs, return-to-work programs, accident investigation and accident prevention.

8:00–9:30 SOCIAL MIXER


8:00–8:50 A View from the Bench: How Workers’ Compensation and Occupational Health Professionals Can Make a Difference

The Honorable Kirsten TateJudge Tate will explain what does and does not impress workers’ compensation judges at hearings/trials. She will discuss investigation, surveillance, medical records and testimony, evidence, witness credibility, and which cases to litigate. Judge Tate will offer practical suggestion on how employers, self-insurers, and workers’ compensation and occupational health professionals can make a difference in litigated cases. Questions & Answers.

The Honorable Kirsten Tate is a workers’ compensation judge, office of administrative hearings in St. Paul, Minnesota. Judge Tate was a workers’ compensation and personal injury attorney for 10 years before assuming the bench. She received her BA and JD from Hamline University and Hamline Law School. Judge Tate teaches continuing education courses on workers’ compensation and mentors at risk teens at the Minnesota Teen Challenge Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation Program.


9:00–9:50 Interventional Pain Procedures: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly Leon Ensalada, MD, MPHDr. Ensalada will review the evidence for and against commonly encountered interventional pain procedures such as epidural steroid injections, facet injections and medial branch blocks, facet radiofrequency ablation, sympathetic blocks, spinal cord stimulation and others. Dr. Ensalada will offer evidence-based suggestions for employers, insurers, and self-insurers in deciding which procedures should be approved and which ones should be challenged as not being reasonable and necessary. Questions & Answers.

Leon Ensalada, MD, MPH received his BA from the University of Washington in Seattle, his MD from Dartmouth Medical School, and his MPH from the Medical College of Wisconsin. He has written and lectured extensively on chronic pain, illness behavior, and disability management. He was editor and contributor to the AMA Guides 6th Edition and casebook. After 9/11, at age 53, he reenlisted in the military and served 3 combat tours in Afghanistan, in addition to tours in Pakistan and Africa. Dr. Ensalada was born in Brooklyn, NY. Dr. Ensalada

has extensive experience performing IMEs and utilization reviews. He is the 2016 President of the American Academy of Disability Evaluating Physicians (AADEP).


10:00–10:50 Fighting Workers’ Compensation Employee Fraud Norm Burdick, Esq.Attorney Burdick will explain the criminal and civil definitions of fraud, the most common types of employee workers’ compensation fraud, and penalties for a workers’ compensation fraud conviction. He will describe the workers’ compensation fraud red flags, the fraud investigation process, and will provide a “to do” list once fraud is suspected. Attorney Burdick will provide practical, cost-effective suggestions on how employers, insurers, and self-insurers can discourage and successfully fight employee workers’ compensation fraud. Questions & Answers.

CONFERENCE PROGRAM: FRIDAY, JULY 22, 2016, DAY 3


CONFERENCE PROGRAM: THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2016, DAY 2

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Norm Burdick, Esq. is an attorney with the Illinois law firm of Garofalo, Schreiber & Storm. He represents employers, insurance companies, SIU’s and TPA’s regarding claims involving workers’ compensation fraud. Prior to joining GS&S, Mr. Burdick was a Fraud Investigator/Attorney with the Illinois Department of Insurance, Workers’ Compensation Fraud Unit (WCFU). His investigations and grand jury testimony led to indictments and convictions for criminal workers’ compensation fraud. Mr. Burdick’s previous law enforcement experience includes employment as a Cook County Deputy Sheriff. Prior to accepting the investigator position with the Department of Insurance, Mr. Burdick was a workers’ compensation insurance executive. He was President of Great Central Insurance Company. He also managed the Midwest Branch for Argonaut Insurance Company, Aon Muirfield Underwriters And The Zenith Insurance Company; all monoline workers’ compensation carriers.


11:00–12:00 Low Back Pain and Return to Work: Evidence Based Recommendations Michael Erdil, MD, FACOEMDr. Erdil will review the evidence linking patient perceptions, psychosocial and workplace factors with low back pain work disability. He will describe psychosocial screening tools to help identify patients at risk for low back pain work disability. He will discuss potential intervention strategies to address low back disability risk factors, including perspectives of the insurer, employer and health care provider. Dr. Erdil will identify workplace strategies to overcome barriers and assist return to work including collaborative problem solving involving all parties. Dr. Erdil will provide recommendations to help prevent delayed return to work and disability associated with low back pain including workplace-patient provider-patient communication, and provider-workplace communication to help overcome barriers. Questions & Answers.

Michael Erdil, MD, FACOEM, is a physician with Occupational and Environmental Health Network in Marlborough, MA. Dr. Erdil is also an Assistant Professor at the University of Connecticut Health Center in the Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Occupational Medicine; and an Active Staff Physician in the Department of Internal Medicine at Hartford Hospital. Dr. Erdil served as a reviewer for the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research Acute Low Back Problems in Adults; and the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine Occupational Medicine Practice Guidelines 1st edition. Dr. Erdil serves on the Editorial Advisory Board for the Official Disability Guidelines Treatment in Workers Comp, and the Medical Advisory Board for Reed’s Medical Disability Adviser. Dr. Erdil has written about occupational low back injuries and claims including co-editing Cumulative Trauma Disorders: Prevention, Evaluation, and Treatment for Van Nostrand Reinhold, and co-authoring a chapter in the AMA Physician’s Guide to Return to Work, 1st ed. Dr. Erdil has lectured extensively on musculoskeletal disorders including low back pain and return to work. He is a past President of the Western Occupational and Environmental Association.

12:00–1:30 LUNCH (ON YOUR OWN) & EXHIBITS


A. ADA Latest Developments for Workers’ Compensation and Occupational Health Professionals

Leigh M. Schultz, Esq.Attorney Schultz will discuss the latest ADA developments including: leaves of absence, reasonable accommodation, the expanding definition of disability, major life activities, and medical and return to work certificates. She will review the common “abuses” of the ADA and explain how employers can effectively curb those abuses. Attorney Schultz will offer practical takeaways for compliance and defending ADA claims. Questions & Answers.

Leigh M. Schultz, Esq. is a principal and employment lawyer in the Kalamazoo, Michigan office of the national law firm Miller Canfield. She received her BA from the University of Michigan and her JD from the Chicago-Kent College of Law. Attorney Schultz has written and lectured extensively on employment law and the ADA. She regularly counsels employers about hiring, firing, discipline, and accommodations under the ADA. Attorney Schultz is a contributor to the Employment Law Handbook: A Guide for Michigan Employers.


CONFERENCE PROGRAM: FRIDAY, JULY 22, 2016, DAY 3 CO

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B. How Digital Health and Big Data Can Improve Clinical Outcomes in Workers’ Compensation and Occupational Medicine

Stephen Shaya, MD, MSDr. Shaya will review the current status of digital health, including telemedicine, telehealth, mobile apps, sensors, video conferencing, Uber for health care, and the current effective use case scenarios (i.e. second opinions, access in remote areas.) He will discuss and demonstrate tech versus tecc (“technology enabled care coordination”), incentives starting to align with adoption, regulatory challenges, integration and interoperability, data visualization tools, security issues, and privacy issues. Dr. Shaya will offer practical suggestions for the opportunities and use of digital health and big data to improve clinical outcomes and reduce costs in workers’ compensation and occupational medicine for today and in the future. Questions & Answers.

Stephen Shaya, MD, MS is chief medical officer, EVP, of J&B and Health Net Connect, a telemedicine company. Dr. Shaya received his BS from Wayne State University School of Medicine. He lectures nationally and internationally on the use of telemedicine and technology to improve the lives of patients and outcomes. Dr. Shaya completed a fellowship in occupational and environmental health at Wayne State University. Dr. Shaya was a panelist at the Cavendish Global Health Event held at United Nations speaking on “The Transformational Impact of Mobile Health and Telemedicine on Health Access and Outcomes.”

C. FMCSAs Medical Requirements for Commercial Drivers: Latest Developments

Elaine Papp, RN, MSN, COHN-S Ms. Papp will explain the medical examiner’s role, the FMCSA’s regulation (mandatory) and guidance (discretionary) and will provide the latest changes in FMCSA rules. She will review the vision, diabetes, seizure, and hearing exemption programs and will discuss proposed rule changes. Ms. Papp will offer practical suggestions and guidance for employers to effectively navigate the FMCSA’s medical requirements for commercial drivers. Questions & Answers.

Elaine Papp, RN, MSN, COHN-S is a board certified occupational health nurse who is president of Health and Safety Works, LLC a consulting company in Baltimore, MD. Ms. Papp spent 7 years as the Division Chief of the Office of Medical Programs at the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) where she gained extensive knowledge about the relationship between medical conditions, their impact on safe operation of commercial motor vehicles (CMV) and FMCSA regulations/guidance. She was responsible for establishment of FMCSA’s National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners including the training and testing components and compliance assistance materials. While at OSHA, Elaine was selected for the Executive Leadership Program (ELP) and spent a few months in Geneva Switzerland working with the World Health Organization and the International Council of Nursing (ICN) as part of the ELP development program.



A. Defending the Workers’ Compensation Claim: Expanding Role of Social Media

T. Nicole Tackett, Esq.Attorney Tackett will review the rapidly expanding use of social media in the investigation, trial, and settlement of contested workers’ compensation claims. She will discuss the best types of social media to review in a workers’ comp investigation, defending a denied claim with the results of a social media investigation, and getting the results of a social media investigation admitted as evidence in court. She will explain how to overcome privacy issues, state rulings on social media evidence in workers’ compensation claims, what the other side is doing with social media and how to defend against it, and other advantages of social media investigations outside of court. Attorney Tackett will offer practical suggestions for workers’ compensation and occupational health professionals on the role of social media in defending workers’ compensation claims. Questions & Answers.


CONFERENCE PROGRAM: FRIDAY, JULY 22, 2016, DAY 3

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T. Nicole Tackett, Esq. is a workers’ compensation defense trial attorney and managing partner in the Charlotte, NC office of Vernis & Bowling. Attorney Tackett manages and defends cases through all stages of the workers’ compensation process, from the initial determination of compensability through settlement. Additionally, Attorney Tackett litigates cases at the hearing level and at various stages of appeal, including appeals to the North Carolina Court of Appeals. Attorney Tackett lectures extensively at seminars for insurance companies, third party administrators and self-insured companies on topics such as successful claims handling, winning litigation, liens, Medicare set asides, social media, workers’ comp 101, annual updates on legislative changes and case law, and employment law issues in workers’ compensation claims.

B. Aging Workforce: What Workers’ Compensation and Occupational Health Professionals Need to Know

Michelle Despres, PT, CEAS IIMs. Despres will discuss the rise of co-morbid conditions and the staggering costs when employees with these conditions are injured. Attendees will learn how physical medicine and rehabilitation can mitigate the effects of aging and subsequent conditions. Ms. Despres will lead an interactive session in which attendees will participate in strategizing solutions that will directly benefit their workforce, improve return to work outcomes, teach prevention, and provide a foundation for lasting physical benefit. Questions & Answers.

Michelle Despres, PT, CEAS II, is the vice president at Align Networks, a leader in physical medicine for workers’ compensation. In her role, Ms. Despres serves as a clinical liaison among payers, providers, and Align’s internal teams, helping to strategize on how to continually improve return-to-work results. Ms. Despres has dedicated her practice of physical therapy largely to the Workers’ Compensation patient population. Experience has included patient care and training to perform on-site services, traditional physical therapy, FCE’s, work hardening, work conditioning and ergonomic assessments. Nationally, Ms. Despres has provided seminars to payors and providers and works with clinicians nationwide to improve their delivery of physical medicine to the injured worker population.

C. Occupational Hand Injuries: Diagnosis, Treatment, and Return to Work

Glen Seidman, MDDr. Seidman will discuss and illustrate the most common occupational hand injuries/conditions including: carpal tunnel and cubital tunnel syndrome, tendon rupture, fractures, joint dislocation, and stenosing tenosynovitis. He will explain and demonstrate, with video, treatment and rehabilitation recovery. Dr. Seidman will give practical suggestions and best practices for effective treatment and recovery times for workers with hand injuries and conditions. Questions & Answers.

Glen Seidman, MD is a board certified orthopedic surgeon with added qualifications in hand surgery who practices in South Shore Orthopedics in South Weymouth, MA. Dr. Seidman received his MD and BA from Boston University School of Medicine and Boston University. Dr. Seidman specializes in hand and upper extremity surgery. He has written and lectured on orthopedic and hand surgery. Dr. Seidman is a former clinical instructor in the department of orthopedics and rehabilitation at the Yale University School of Medicine.

CONFERENCE PROGRAM: FRIDAY, JULY 22, 2016, DAY 3 CO

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S36th Annual National Workers’ Compensation and Occupational Medicine Conference

Executive Summary: The average workers’ compensation and occupational health professional will negotiate for millions of dollars both professionally and personally over their careers without the benefit of any training in negotiating. SEAK’s Negotiating Skills for Workers’ Compensation and Occupational Health Professionals is designed to teach you the negotiation skills you need to become a superior negotiator and give you an opportunity to practice these skills through a variety of challenging negotiation exercises. Attendees will dramatically improve their negotiating skills.

Learning Methodology:SEAK Negotiating Skills for Workers’ Compensation and Occupational Health Professionals is a practical course which will teach you the facilitation, communication, and persuasion skills you need to be a successful negotiator. The course utilizes adult learning principles and features numerous hands-on case exercises. The didactic portion of the course is lively and interactive. Workers’ Compensation and Occupational health professionals will have an opportunity to ask questions and have them answered by the faculty.

You will learn how to:• Say “no” professionally• Turn a competitive negotiation into a cooperative one• Avoid “trickle down” loss• Determine your opponent’s interests, needs, and desires• Negotiate with supervisors and workers• Choose the best time to negotiate• Recognize when it is best to remain silent

Negotiating Skills for Workers’ Compensation and Occupational Health Professionals Tuesday, July 19, 2016

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• Become proficient in the negotiation of contracts• Gain more concessions than you give up• Defeat your opponent’s tactics• Negotiate sticky points with clients• Successfully gather crucial information• Finalize negotiations and close the deal• Prepare for your negotiation

Registration Information: Tuition is $395 on or before March 31, 2016; $445 April 1, 2016–June 30, 2016; $495 After June 30, 2016 and includes a continental breakfast, lunch with faculty, a workshop manual, and a dynamic learning experience. A 20% discount is available for two or more individuals registering together from the same company. To register, please use the form on page 2, visit www.seak.com or call 508-457-1111.

Distinguished Faculty:Steven Babitsky, Esq., is a former trial lawyer who has over 35 years of experience as a professional negotiator. Attorney Babitsky is the co-author of the best-selling books The Successful Physician Negotiator: How To Get What You Deserve, The Physician’s Comprehensive Guide to Negotiating as well as Never Lose Again: Become a Top Negotiator by Asking the Right Questions and numerous other publications. He is a lively and entertaining trainer who has trained thousands of professionals over the past 30 years. He is the trainer for the 4-DVD Set, Negotiating Skills for Physicians. He has negotiated hundreds of deals and acts as a negotiation consultant.

Continuing Education CreditsNote: If your specialty does not appear below and you desire credits, please contact Karen Cerbarano ([email protected] or 781-826-4974). We can often obtain desired credits upon request, but unfortunately, obtaining some types of credits are not feasible. Please register early, as we can only apply for credits after your registration form has been received and it can take time to get the requested approvals back from the accrediting agencies. Attorneys: Please request CLE credits when mailing in your registration form. Case Managers: 7.0 contact hours of continuing education for Case Managers have been applied for from the Commission for Case Manager Certification, St. Paul, Minnesota. Disability Specialists: 7.0 contact hours of continuing education for Disability Specialists have been applied for from the Commission for Disability Management Specialists, Schaumburg, Illinois. Nurses: To successfully complete a program and receive contact hours you must: 1) register in, 2) be present for the period of time you are awarded contact hours, 3) complete the evaluation. Occupational Health Nurses: This continuing education activity (CNE) has been submitted to the American Association of Occupational Nurses (AAOHN) for approval to award contact hours. The American Association of Occupational Nurses (AAOHN) is an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation. Physical Therapists: Continuing Physical Therapy credits vary by state, and will only be applied for if requested in writing on the conference registration form. Physicians: SEAK, Inc. is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians. SEAK, Inc. designates this live activity for a maximum of 7.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s).™ Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity. Rehabilitation Counselors: 7.0 contact hours of continuing education hours for Rehabilitation Counselors have been applied for from the Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification, Schaumburg, Illinois. Rehabilitation Nurses: This program will be accepted for 7.0 CNE’s for ARN Certification when you submit your certificate.

Note: Any and all commercial products or services displayed or advertised at the 2016 SEAK Conference are neither endorsed by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation nor SEAK, Inc. SEAK does not accept commercial support for its programs and does not use faculty members with conflicts of interest.

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SJuly 19, 2016, Hyannis, Cape Cod, Massachusetts

Negotiating Skills for Workers’ Compensation and Occupational Health Professionals Tuesday, July 19, 2016

7:30–8:00 REGISTRATION & CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST

8:00–8:15 How much are you negotiating for? The $12,000 an hour negotiation

8:15–8:30 Competitive & Cooperative Negotiations How to diagnose the difference and change one to the other

8:30–8:45 Where to Negotiate Your office, their office, neutral site, advantages and disadvantages

8:45–9:00 Authority Importance, how to negotiate with the “yes” person

9:00–9:30 Asking Questions How to ask and utilize the 10 key questions all negotiators need to know, leading, and open-ended questions, sample questions to ask, and active listening

9:30–10:00 Needs Interest and Desires How to identify and use your opponent’s “x” factor

10:00–10:15 BREAK AND NETWORKING OPPORTUNITY

10:15–11:00 Deadlines Attendees will learn how to use deadlines effectively and use accelerated deadlines

11:00–11:15 Pausing Why, when, and how to do it strategically, the best time to negotiate

11:15–12:00 Power and How To Develop It Your “BATNA”, legitimacy, precedents, persistence

12:00–1:00 LUNCH (PROVIDED, WITH FACULTY)

1:00–1:15 Preparation and Aspiration Levels Attendees will learn why loose lips sink ships and how to use silence as an effective negotiating tactic

1:15–1:30 Silence is Golden Attendees will learn why loose lips sink ships and how to use silence as an effective

negotiating tactic

1:30–2:00 Concessions Attendees will learn how and when to make concessions and how to get the most for

every concession made

2:00–2:15 Deadlock Attendees will learn how to use the fear of deadlock to their advantage

2:15–3:00 Emotions How occupational health professionals can make them work for and not against them


3:15–3:30 Team Negotiating How to build a rock solid team and negotiate toward collaboration and avoiding turf

battles

3:30–4:30 Negotiation Tactics & Defenses Attendees will learn how to employ and defend against common negotiating tactics

and strategies such as split the difference, take it or leave it, ballpark price, uniqueness, brinksmanship, word games, anchoring, limited authority, belly up, limited time offer, you have to do better than that, etc. Learning these negotiation strategies is crucially important for all workers’ compensation and occupational health professionals.

4:30–4:45 Takeaways and Conclusions The faculty will solicit from the audience a bullet-point list of techniques and strategies

that they will now be employing to improve the results of their negotiations.

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Managing & Defending Workers’ Compensation Claims: For Workers’ Compensation and Occupational Health ProfessionalsTuesday, July 19, 2016

Executive Summary: This unique preconference is for all professionals who are called upon to evaluate, manage, retain & direct counsel, settle & defend Workers’ Compensation claims. Attendees will learn to critically examine the most challenging and vexing workers’ compensation claims to assist them in managing and defending these claims. A nuanced knowledge of proper investigation, evaluation, and what counsel will have to prove to successfully litigate these claims will assist attendees in properly evaluating, managing, and defending these claims.

Learning ObjectivesAt the completion of the course you will be able to: • Understand how you can assist in managing and defending contested WC claims• Evaluate injuries, and conditions early on to determine their compensability, and potential exposure• Understand the use and abuse of investigation, surveillance,

IME’s, experts and counsel to bring these cases to successful conclusions

• Understand the role that pre-existing condition, degenerative conditions, intervening and non-work-related causes play• Understand the specific issues raised in cases involving:

knee, back, shoulder, psychological cervical and many other WC claims

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• Evaluate reasonable & necessary medical care, medications, rehabilitation, impairment, disability, lost time and return to work

• Employ successful settlement and litigation strategies• Control costs of workers’ compensation claims• Evaluate reasonable and necessary medical care• Understand how to use social media to defend WC claims• Learn how to make utilization review work for you

Registration Information: Tuition is $395 on or before March 31, 2016; $445 April 1, 2016–June 30, 2016; $495 After June 30, 2016 and includes a continental breakfast, lunch with faculty, a workshop manual, and a dynamic learning experience. A 20% discount is available for two or more individuals registering together from the same company. To register, please use the form on page 2, visit www.seak.com or call 508-457-1111.

Distinguished FacultyShenan Pellegrini, Esq. is a Partner with the law firm Mullen & McGourty in Boston, MA, where she specializes in workers’ compensation defense litigation. She has over 16 years of experience in defending and litigating on behalf of employers, self-insurers, and insurance carriers. She is a graduate of Boston College (B.S. Cum Laude 1996) and Suffolk University Law School (J.D. Cum Laude 1999). Ms. Pellegrini has been a frequent lecturer on workers’ compensation continuing legal education, insurance industry groups and employers. She is an adjunct professor at Suffolk University Law School for the Workers’ Compensation course. She is a member of the Massachusetts Bar Association Workers’ Compensation Sub-Committee (now a full section) and serves on its Education Sub-Committee. She is also a member of the American Bar Association. Ms. Pellegrini is a contributing author for the Lexis Nexis Practice Guide for Massachusetts Workers’ Compensation 2014 Edition.

Continuing Education CreditsNote: If your specialty does not appear below and you desire credits, please contact Karen Cerbarano ([email protected] or 781-826-4974). We can often obtain desired credits upon request, but unfortunately, obtaining some types of credits are not feasible. Please register early, as we can only apply for credits after your registration form has been received and it can take time to get the requested approvals back from the accrediting agencies.

Attorneys: Please request CLE credits when mailing in your registration form. Case Managers: 7.0 contact hours of continuing education for Case Managers have been applied for from the Commission for Case Manager Certification, St. Paul, Minnesota. Disability Specialists: 7.0 contact hours of continuing education for Disability Specialists have been applied for from the Commission for Disability Management Specialists, Schaumburg, Illinois. Nurses: To successfully complete a program and receive contact hours you must: 1) register in, 2) be present for the period of time you are awarded contact hours, 3) complete the evaluation. Occupational Health Nurses: This continuing education activity (CNE) has been submitted to the American Association of Occupational Nurses (AAOHN) for approval to award contact hours. The American Association of Occupational Nurses (AAOHN) is an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation. Physical Therapists: Continuing Physical Therapy credits vary by state, and will only be applied for if requested in writing on the conference registration form. Physicians: SEAK, Inc. is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians. SEAK, Inc. designates this live activity for a maximum of 7.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s).™ Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity. Rehabilitation Counselors: 7.0 contact hours of continuing education hours for Rehabilitation Counselors have been applied for from the Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification, Schaumburg, Illinois. Rehabilitation Nurses: This program will be accepted for 7.0 CNE’s for ARN Certification when you submit your certificate.


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Managing & Defending Workers’ Compensation Claims: For Workers’ Compensation and Occupational Health ProfessionalsTuesday, July 19, 2016


8:00–8:15 Introduction Faculty will explain why an understanding of the legal basis of workers’ compensation claims is crucial for all those involved in the Workers’ Compensation & Occupational Health field.

8:15–9:45 Disability Issues The faculty will present an overview of the Workers’ Compensation system, the keys to early intervention, proper investigation, how medical providers can assist both before and after the claim and how the proper training of supervisors and employees is important to containing claims and improving outcomes. They will review the importance of communication and working with the Insurance Company, Medical Providers, The Employer and the Injured Worker. Questions & Answers.


10:00–11:00 Back & Neck Claims The faculty will review best practices for information gathering for back and neck claims as well as the specific challenges of back and neck claims, including causation, preexisting and degenerative condition, and return to work. They will explain how back and neck claims affect permanent impairment and permanent total disability issues. Questions & Answers.

11:00–12:00 Lower and Upper Extremity Claims The faculty will review the specifics of information gathering for upper and lower extremity claims as well as the specific challenges of those claims, including knee, hand, arm, and shoulder conditions, and return to work. They will explain how to identify and address permanent impairment and permanent total disability issues for upper and lower extremity. Questions & Answers.

12:00–1:00 LUNCH PROVIDED WITH FACULTY

1:00–2:00 The Psychological Claim The faculty will discuss the increasing number of mental health claims, including those resulting from physical injury and those resulting from mental stress. The faculty will explain the legal issues raised by the type of claim, the type of investigation needed, preexisting condition, the burden of proof requirements and common steps to take to manage the claim. The faculty will also discuss the medical challenges involved in return to work issues for psychological claims. Questions & Answers.

2:00–3:15 10 Essential Steps to Controlling the Value of a Comp Claim In this extended intensive session the faculty will present the 10 crucial steps to controlling and managing workers’ compensation claims that allow the injured worker to return to work quickly and safely, in the most cost efficient manner possible. Questions & Answers.


3:30–4:30 Current Issues Involving Reasonable & Necessary Medical Care, Medications, Opioids, Impairment, & Permanent & Total Disability The faculty will explain the legal requirement for proving or disproving that treatment, care or medications are allowed benefits under workers’ compensation. They will discuss the important role occupational health professionals can play. Questions & Answers.

4:30–5:00 Takeaways & Discussion

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Return to Work: Evidence Based Skills and StrategiesTuesday, July 19, 2016

Executive Summary: This pre-conference will provide a set of evidenced based skills and strategies specific to assessing Return to Work motivation, and determining risks and predictive factors of prolonged duration. Research suggests that return to work motivation is comprised of 4 factors. With an understanding of these factors we will then draw upon a set of skills and strategies that we can use them to improve compliance and outcomes. The outcome of the learnings is a scalable and workable model for participants that can easily be utilized and taken back to their jobs and implemented immediately.

Learning ObjectivesAt the completion of this seminar you will be able to:• Generate commitment to returning to work at the outset of the absence• Deal with setbacks during the returning to work process• Discover the significant predictive barriers to returning to work• Understand the forces that influence return to work outcomes• Engage a worker in the returning to work process• Utilize 5 specific questions to uncover opportunities to manage risks of prolonged duration• Improve return to work outcomes

Registration Information: Tuition is $395 on or before March 31, 2016; $445 April 1, 2016–June 30, 2016; $495 After June 30, 2016 and includes a continental breakfast, lunch with faculty, a detailed workshop manual, and a dynamic learning experience. A 20% discount is available for two or more individuals registering together from the same company. To register, please use the form on page 2, visit www.seak.com or call 508-457-1111. Distinguished Faculty:

Jason Parker is the President and Senior Disability Management Consultant of CentriX Disability Management Services Inc. Jason is the creator of the Return to Work Toolkit, which is the only strategic behavioural risk management tool of its kind. The Return to Work Toolkit has been delivered internationally to over 1700 participants and is recognized as advanced training in Disability Management. Jason has extensive experience in Disability Management and Stay-at-Work/Return to Work programs with over 14 years of experience covering almost every employer group. Jason oversees the leadership of CentriX as well as continues to work in providing direct consulting to organizations while maintaining his hand in case management.

Continuing Education CreditsNote: If your specialty does not appear below and you desire credits, please contact Karen Cerbarano ([email protected] or 781-826-4974). We can often obtain desired credits upon request, but unfortunately, obtaining some types of credits are not feasible. Please register early, as we can only apply for credits after your registration form has been received and it can take time to get the requested approvals back from the accrediting agencies.



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8:00–8:15 IntroductionFaculty will explain the importance of evidence based skills and strategies to improve the return to work experience for workers and outcomes. Questions and Answers.

8:15–10:00 Insights for Engagement - Injured Worker Focus Group Findings Based on close to 50 focus groups we will explore what injured workers say improve their overall experience and ultimately the things they identify as being significant impact factors while they are off work. Questions and Answers.


10:15–11:15 MotivationThe faculty will look at the factors that are significant in triggering the return to work process and those factors that are predictive in determining duration. The faculty will present a set of questions that can assist with the assessment of motivation, and offer clues to significant interventions. Questions and Answers.

11:15–12:00 Increasing ComplianceCompliance simply means adherence to a recommended course of treatment/plan or responding favorably to a request offered by others. Faculty, with the attendees, will discuss 4 areas where there is evidence that these factors can significantly improve compliance. These are: relationships, commitment, confidence, and credibility.Questions and Answers.

12:00–1:00 LUNCH (PROVIDED WITH FACULTY)

1:00–1:45 Increasing Compliance (Continued)The faculty will discuss methods and techniques for improving commitment from injured workers. He will explain how to boost confidence and build credibility with injured workers. Questions and Answers.

1:45–2:30 The Engagement ProcessEngaging the worker is a significant step in ensuring they are successfully returning to work. The faculty will explain why this is important and develop a set of skills that will set the stage for engagement. The faculty will revisit the findings from the focus groups and further develop a systematic way to engage the worker. Questions and Answers.

2:30–3:00 Dealing with ResistanceDespite all of our efforts in our attempts to engage the worker we can still face resistance. The faculty will explore current research on ways to reduce and deal with resistance. Questions and Answers.


3:15–4:30 Integrating it All: The Engagement ModelOnce we have a set of skills and strategies we will integrate it into a workable and methodical model that is scalable and useable. Attendees will be able to take this back to their work and integrate it easily into their current process. This will take the “interactive process” to a new level in your organization. Questions and Answers.

4:30–4:45 Wrap UpConcluding remarks and final questions and answers.

Return to Work: Evidence Based Skills and StrategiesTuesday, July 19, 2016

“Great tools and examples to use to improve program”

“Useful material, love presenter”

“Fantastic, well presented, good info backed up by evidence”

“Positive/proactive”

“Excellent, helpful”

“Excellent, speaker was so well prepared, enthusiastic and

thorough”

“Great knowledgeable speaker. Very good slides, stories, models

and content”

HERE’S WHAT YOUR COLLEAGUES HAVE TO SAY:

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ADA and FMLA: In DepthTuesday, July 19, 2016

Executive Summary: At this unique preconference, you will be provided with an in-depth learning experience covering the legal topics that all occupational health professionals must deal with on a daily basis. Attendees will participate in frank discussions and problem solving exercises. You will take away practical, valuable advice which you can use immediately. The learning methodology features interactive lectures and hands-on case studies and exercises. The primary focus of this course is on the ADA and FMLA. The state workers’ compensation statutes will be discussed in the context of how they interact with the ADA and FMLA. Learning Objectives: At the completion of this seminar you will be able to: • Understand when and how an employee’s situation is covered by the ADA and the FMLA• Understand the employer’s obligations under the ADA and the FMLA• Develop an understanding of how the ADA, the FMLA and the state workers compensation statutes intersect with each other and impact an employer’s decision-making process when dealing with employees• Identify and diagnose ADA and FMLA issues• Work through complex cases including multiple employment-related legal issues, and• Develop cost-effective, defensive best practices

Registration Information: Tuition is $395 on or before March 31, 2016; $445 April 1, 2016–June 30, 2016; $495 After June 30, 2016 and includes a continental breakfast, lunch with faculty, a detailed workshop manual, and a dynamic learning experience. A 20% discount is available for two or more individuals registering together from the same company. To register, please use the form on page 2, visit www.seak.com or call 508-457-1111.

Distinguished Faculty: Adam P. Forman, Esq. is a shareholder in the Boston office of Littler Mendelson. He represents management in discrimination and wrongful discharge litigation, non-competition agreements litigation, traditional labor work and the development of employee relations systems. Mr. Forman speaks on matters relating to labor and employment law and has written for a variety of publications, including CCM, The American Lawyer’s Corporate Counsel Magazine, Outside Counsel and the Boston Business Journal. He is a member of the American Bar Association, the Boston Bar Association and the Massachusetts Bar Association. Mr. Forman received his law degree, cum laude, from Georgetown University Law Center in 1987 and his bachelor’s degree, with high distinction, from Pennsylvania State University in 1984 as a member of Phi Beta Kappa. Mr. Forman was admitted to the Pennsylvania Bar (1987); the Massachusetts Bar (1992); the U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Pennsylvania (1987); the U.S. District Court, District of Massachusetts (1992); the U.S. Court of Appeals, Third Circuit (1990) and the U.S. Court of Appeals, First Circuit (1994).

John D. Doran, Esq. is a shareholder in the Providence office of Littler Mendelson. His practice focuses exclusively on representing management in labor and employment matters. Working predominately with clients in the healthcare industry, he appears in federal and state courts in Rhode Island and Massachusetts and before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Rhode Island Commission for Human Rights, and other state human rights agencies. He also defends employers against discrimination claims based on race, sex, age, religion, national origin and disability and handles matters related to the Family and Medical Leave Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act. Attorney Doran received his BS from Boston College and his JD from Suffolk University.

Continuing Education Credits Note: If your specialty does not appear below and you desire credits, please contact Karen Cerbarano ([email protected] or 781-826-4974). We can often obtain desired credits upon request, but unfortunately, obtaining some types of credits are not feasible. Please register early, as we can only apply for credits after your registration form has been received and it can take time to get the requested approvals back from the accrediting agencies.



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7:00–8:00 REGISTRATION AND CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST 8:00–8:15 Introduction

Why we need an in depth understanding of these issues: Workplace morale, employee retention, defensive employee relations, management, cost control, and other important considerations. Questions & Answers.

8:15–9:30 The FMLA: An Overview and Hot Topics Attendees will learn about the following issues: eligibility, intermittent leave, designation of leave as FMLA covered, denial of leave, medical certification of leave, and employee notice of health care condition. In addition, FMLA leave will be distinguished from Workers’ Compensation leave, and the relationship between the two will be discussed. Questions & Answers.

9:30–10:45 The ADA: An Overview of the Law Attendees will learn how to determine if an employee has a disability (Does the employee have an impairment? Does it affect a major life activity? Is the major life activity substantially limited?) and what conditions have been determined not to be disabilities. This session will also include an explanation of the issue of employees being “regarded as” or having a “record of being” disabled. This session will also consist of an explanation of whether an employee with a disability is qualified for the job in question, and how to determine what functions (attendance, mental stability, walking, travel, lifting, staying awake, etc.) of a job are essential. Questions & Answers.


11:00–12:00 The ADA Continued: Making Reasonable Accommodations What is reasonable? How much can a “reasonable” accommodation cost? Is an employer required to place employees on leave or on part-time schedules as part of a reasonable accommodation? Finally, ADA concerns will be distinguished from Workers’ Compensation issues, and the relationship between the two will be discussed. Questions & Answers.

12:00–1:00 LUNCH PROVIDED WITH FACULTY

1:00–2:00 The Interrelationship Between the ADA, FMLA, and Workers’ Compensation: How Do You Know Which Law(S) You Are Dealing With?

Can an employee’s request for a leave be covered by more than one law? When can you request additional information or a second opinion? Questions & Answers.

2:00–3:00 Part One of Interactive group activity Review of hypothetical scenarios involving the ADA, FMLA, and Workers’ Compensation. Topics include: Injury or disability? What is the proper response to an employee’s request for leave? Can this disabled/injured/ill employee’s employment be terminated? How much does the employer need to spend on an accommodation? Questions & Answers.


3:15–4:15 Part Two of Interactive group activity Responding to the complex challenges of the workplace: analysis of tough hypotheticals to navigate treacherous ADA, FMLA, and Workers’ Compensation waters. Questions & Answers.

4:15–4:30 Wrap-up Concluding remarks and final question and answer session. Questions & Answers.

ADA and FMLA: In DepthTuesday, July 19, 2016

“Interesting & quite beneficial to my practice”“Very informative, knowledgeable presenters”

“Very Good”“Job well done”

“Excellent”

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This is the largest and longest running Workers’ Compensation and Occupational Medicine conference in the country. We have hundreds of Workers’ Compensation Professionals in attendance with a limited number of exhibiting booths available.

In our widely acclaimed program, the nation’s leading workers’ compensation professionals join together to discuss cutting edge issues. Conference exhibitors will be able to meet with their colleagues and leaders in their fields from across the United States. Conference attendees are highly qualified professionals who exert strong influence on buying decisions for services, equipment and supplies for their companies.

On average, a SEAK attendee spends more than $2,000 to attend the conference. They come from across the country and are very invested in the program and interested in learning about your products and services.

Exhibiting Dates July 19–20, 2016 & July 21–22, 2016

HERE’S WHAT PAST EXHIBITORS HAVE TO SAY:

“The conference encourages all the attendees to visit your booth.”

“The exhibit hall created good conversation and interaction on a consistent basis.”

“Loved it.”

“The best show we’ve ever attended!”

“Fantastic conference— well organized— important contacts.”

“We made great contacts.”

EXHIBIT ATSEAK’S 36th ANNUAL NATIONAL WORKERS’ COMPENSATION AND OCCUPATIONAL MEDICINE CONFERENCE

RESERVE YOUR SPACE TODAY!

CONFERENCE EXHIBITING INFORMATION

CONFERENCE EXHIBITING INFORMATION

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By using our Conference Passport Program, attendees are strongly encouraged to visit the exhibit hall and talk with exhibitors about their products and services. This provides you with a tremendous amount of exposure to the attendees and allows more opportunities to showcase your products and services to prospective buyers.

“Excellent foot traffic — almost ran out of

promotional materials in the first two hours!”

WHO ATTENDS THE CONFERENCE? • Attorneys• Case Managers• CEOs• Claims Managers• Claims Adjusters• Disability Managers• Health & Safety Professionals• Insurance Executives• Human Resource Professionals• Legislators• Occupational Health Nurses

• Operations Personnel• Physicians• Researchers• Risk Managers• Risk Analysts• RNs• TPAs• Workers’ Compensation

& Disability Claims Analysts• And other Workers’

Compensation Professionals

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:Alex Babitsky, MBA, 508.457.5150, [email protected]

WORKERS’ COMPENSATION AND OCCUPATIONAL MEDICINE CONFERENCE

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WORKERS’ COMPENSATION AND OCCUPATIONAL MEDICINE DVD COURSES

Evidence Based Medicine in Workers’ Compensation 4 DVD SET

TO ORDER SEE PAGE 2, VISIT WWW.SEAK.COM OR CALL 508-457-1111

Presented by: James B. Talmage, MD

Workers’ Compensation administrative systems and the courts are increasingly using Evidence Based Medicine in causation analysis, utilization review of treatment, and work ability assessment. This DVD program will show you how scientific evidence can and should impact causation determinations, treatment decisions, and work restrictions and limitations. $395 (6.5 hours of instruction + 314 page written manual)

NEW!

• Know the definition and role of Evidence Based Medicine in Workers’ Compensation.

• Have resources to use to find evidence on questions that arise in your world.

• Understand evidence based causation analysis, and why it is important.

• Understand evidence based work ability assessment.

• Understand evidence based Utilization Review of treatment requests.

• Have a template to formulate File Review and IME reports using evidence to support your opinions.

• Have references to evidence on several commonly occurring questions in work-related injuries and illnesses.

Causation of Occupational Injuries Fact or Fiction

• Methodology, Apportionment, History, Physical Examination, and Record Review.

• Spine Examples-Specific cases are discussed.

• Lower Limb Examples-Specific cases are discussed.

• Upper Limb Examples-Specific cases are discussed.

• Writing the Report.

• Cardiac and Pulmonary Case Examples-Specific cases are discussed.

2 DVD SET

Presented by J. Mark Melhorn MD, FAAOS, FAADEP, FACS

This DVD course set (with detailed handbook) is for anyone who is involved with workers’ compensation and occupational health. Every new workers’ compensation case involves the determination of causation. The evidence based science of causation has been difficult to assemble. This course brings together the science of causation, the law, and the daily application of both. This course is based on the AMA Press book entitled “Guides to the Evaluation of Disease and Injury Causation” edited by Melhorn and Ackerman. $395 (4.5 hours of instruction + 75 page written manual)

Covers:

At the completion of this DVD program, you will:

Advanced Neurology for Workers’ Compensation and Occupational Health Professionals

3 DVD SET

Advanced Orthopedics for Workers’ Compensation and Occupational Health Professionals

Each year a large portion of workers’ compensation indemnity and medical costs are spent on claimants with orthopedic injuries, conditions, and treatment. This DVD course (with detailed handbook) will show you how to make informed decisions about: claims, causation, development of treatment plans, best practices, management, health promotion, rehabilitation, disability, impairment, and return to work. The latest developments in Orthopedics for Workers’ Compensation and Occupational Health Professionals are discussed. $395 (7 hours of instruction + 140 page written manual)

• The anatomy and physiology of orthopedic injuries and conditions.

• What to demand in orthopedic examinations, diagnostic testing, and medical reports.

• The significance of the results of diagnostic testing.

• Effective surgical and non-surgical treatment.

• Effective rehabilitation.

• The impact of minimally invasive surgery.

• Use of cutting edge technology, treatment, and devices.

• How to evaluate pre-existing/degenerative orthopedic conditions.

• What to look for in investigating claims.

• How to effectively manage treatment and rehabilitation.

• How to utilize expected recovery milestones, benchmarks, and duration guidelines.

• How to help optimize recovery of function and return to work.

• Appropriate use of opioids and other medications for orthopedic injuries and conditions.

• Causation of orthopedic injuries, conditions, treatment, impairment, and disability.

4 DVD SET

Presented by Paul Weitzel, MD, Alan M. Curtis, MD, Eric Phillip Carkner, MD, and Andrew Jawa, MD

Covers:

Each year a substantial portion of workers’ compensation indemnity and medical costs are spent on claimants with neurological injuries, conditions, and treatment. In this unique course viewers are, for the first time, able to learn about the diagnostic tests that they have been reading and see them demonstrated live. This DVD course (with detailed handbook) will help attendees make informed decisions about the etiology, progress, treatment, rehabilitation and return to work of claimants with neurological conditions. $395 (6.5 hours of instruction + 94 page written manual)

You will learn:

• The neurological conditions you often are called upon to evaluate in your role as an Occupational Health/Workers’ Compensation Professional.

• The anatomy and physiology of common occupational neurological conditions.

• What diagnostic testing actually consists of and the importance of “positive” findings.

• The etiology and work relatedness of these conditions.

• How neurological diagnoses are made.

• What works and what does not work for treatment options.

• The effective use of occupational/physical therapy.

• Typical recovery times.

• When claimants can be cleared to return to work.

• Causation of neurological injuries,

conditions, treatment, impairment, and disability.

• How to effectively manage claims.

• How to evaluate pre-existing conditions.

TO ORDER SEE PAGE 2, VISIT WWW.SEAK.COM OR CALL 508-457-1111

WORKERS’ COMPENSATION AND OCCUPATIONAL MEDICINE DVD COURSES

Presented by WG Strickland, MD, PHD, CIME

36th

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36th annual national workers' compensation and occupational

Documents