SCHEDULE

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

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, MD
Dr. 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 fim 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. 

9:50–10:00 EXHIBITS & NETWORKING OPPORTUNITY 

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. 

10:50–11:00 EXHIBITS & NETWORKING OPPORTUNITY

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

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
Dr. 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. 

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

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). 

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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., PhD
Attorney 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. 

2:30–2:40 EXHIBITS & NETWORKING OPPORTUNITY 

2:40–3:40 BREAKOUT SESSIONS, CHOOSE ONE 

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 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. 

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

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

3:40–3:50 EXHIBITS & NETWORKING OPPORTUNITY 

3:50–4:50 BREAKOUT SESSIONS, CHOOSE ONE  

A. Managing Pain and Return to Work: Before it is Too Late
James Atchison, DO
Dr. 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. 

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.” 

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B. Integrated Disability Management: Evidence Based Success
David Taylor, ARM, CWCP, RWCS
Renee Mattaliano, MA, CRC, CDMS
Mr. 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. 

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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 repot, 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
 

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

7:00–8:00 CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST AND EXHIBITS 

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. 

8:50–9:00 EXHIBITS & NETWORKING OPPORTUNITY 

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. 

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
Mr. 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. 

10:50–11:00 EXHIBITS & NETWORKING OPPORTUNITY 

11:00–12:00 Problem Employees: How and When to Use Psychiatric Consultations
Ronald Schouten, MD, JD
Dr. 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. 

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

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

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. 

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B. Occupational Knee Injuries: Latest Developments
Benjamin Thompson, MD
Dr. 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 particular 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. 

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C. Traumatic Brain Injury Return to Work: Evidence-Based Approach
David D. Nowell, PhD
Dr. 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. 

2:30–2:40 EXHIBITS & NETWORKING OPPORTUNITY 

2:40–3:40 BREAKOUT SESSIONS, CHOOSE ONE 

A. Fitness for Duty Exams: The Flipside of Return to Work
Larry Nahmias, MD
Dr. 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. 

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B. Taking an Evidence-Based, Multidisciplinary Approach to Workers’ Compensation Case Management
Myra P. Keleher, DNP, RN, NEA-BC
Dr. Keleher 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. Dr. Keleher 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. 

Dr. Keleher is a branch manager for Case Management for Genex Services a Disability & Case Management Company.  She is a highly experienced nurse case manager, has lectured on nurse case management, and has worked in the past for AonHewitt, Sedwick, and CorVel.  Dr. Keleher received her BSN & MSN from the University of Central Florida.  She is an Adjunct Professor, Leadership and Management, Nursing Theory, and Business of Health Care in Complex Systems at Nova Southeastern University.  She is an industry leader in Utilization Management/Telephonic Case Management for Workers’ Compensation.

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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. 

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

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

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
Judge 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. 

8:50–9:00 EXHIBITS & NETWORKING OPPORTUNITY 

9:00–9:50 The Role of Chronic Opioid Therapy in the Management of Severe Pain in Injured Workers
Gerald M. Aronoff, M.D., DABPN, DABPM
Dr. Aronoff will review the evidence for and against the use of chronic opioid analgesic therapy in the treatment of injured workers with severe chronic pain.  In recent years, prescription opioid abuse and addiction has overtaken street abuse and addiction in many parts of the country.  As a result, there has been a significant rise in opioid related deaths.  In March 2016, the CDC published Guidelines for primary care physicians discussing this problem and making recommendations on what they now consider to be appropriate and inappropriate as it pertains to opioid treatment of noncancer pain. Dr. Aronoff will offer evidence-based suggestions for employers, insurers, and self insurers, as well as medical directors and case managers to assist them in better understanding what is now considered appropriate and acceptable medical practice. 

Dr. Gerald Aronoff, MD is the Medical Director of Carolina Pain Associates. Dr. Aronoff is certified by the American Board of Pain Medicine and the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. He is the Author/Editor of 7 books and 80 + articles on chronic pain as well as being the Past Editor-in-chief of the Clinical Journal of Pain. He received his MD from the New Jersey College of Medicine and did his residency at Harvard Medical School. He is a Past President, American Academy of Pain Medicine and Past Medical Director, Boston Pain Center.

9:50–10:00 EXHIBITS & NETWORKING OPPORTUNITY 

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. 

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. 

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
Dr. 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 

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

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. 

OR

B. How Digital Health and Big Data Can Improve Clinical Outcomes in Workers’ Compensation and Occupational Medicine
Vince Guglielmetti, MD
Dr. Guglielmetti 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. Guglielmetti 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. 

Vince Guglielmetti, MD graduated from the University of Detroit and earned his MD degree at the American University of the Caribbean in the British West Indies. He did post-graduate training in family practice at North Oakland Medical Center in Pontiac, Michigan. Achieving Chief resident status and winning numerous research awards.  A few years after graduating, he became a medical director for Trinity Health Urgent care.  In 10 years, he expanded from one facility to four Urgent Cares.  Leading his 15 physician group in the areas of Occupational and telemedicine (MDLive), covering SE Michigan. Dr. Guglielmetti is board certified and a member of the American Academy of Family Practice. He has certification as a Medical Review Officer and a Department of Transportation licensing reviewer. 

OR

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. 

2:30–2:40 EXHIBITS & NETWORKING OPPORTUNITY 

2:40–3:40 BREAKOUT SESSIONS, CHOOSE ONE 

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. 

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. 

OR

B. Aging Workforce: What Workers’ Compensation and Occupational Health Professionals Need to Know
Michelle Despres, PT, CEAS II
Ms. 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. 

OR

C. Occupational Hand Injuries: Diagnosis, Treatment, and Return to Work
Glen Seidman, MD
Dr. 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 othopedic 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.