The landscape of crisis and critical incident response within the claims industry is expanding. Where once teams managed cases almost exclusively involving the critically injured, new layers of care and response are emerging that address the “ripple …
Suffering a workplace injury can be a very stressful experience. Going from fully functional to incapacitated in the blink of an eye, combined with angst and uncertainty about the future, makes for a very difficult time for an injured worker. Adding…
April is Stress Awareness Month, an observance dedicated to increasing public awareness about the causes and cures for today’s stress epidemic. In this blog, I want to explore the meaning of stress, what contributes to it, how to recognize it and som…
Oct. 10 is World Mental Health Day, a time designated for education around mental health issues and mobilizing efforts to support people around the globe. This topic is important to me not only because I’m a licensed clinical social worker and claims…
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) claims can be particularly tricky due to the shifting nature of the diagnosis. Greater awareness around mental health is helpful, but there are several factors that greatly impact a patient’s outcome. The challen…
Many of those who became accustomed to remote arrangements during the pandemic fear they will lose their work-life balance upon returning to the office. Meanwhile, others feel they will gain social engagement and a sense of connectedness. For employe…
Many people are familiar with the role nurse case managers play in the return to work process. They review an injured employee’s medical records, coordinate and expedite medical treatment and procedures, locate the best medical care and physicians to…
Joy. Cheer. Laughter. A heart-warming holiday movie. A family around the dinner table. Bright decorations and trimmings of the season. These sentiments and scenes are what many of us typically associate with the holiday season. But, alongside these,…
The inarguable fact of COVID-19 is that the coronavirus itself has been an indiscriminate and equal-opportunity tragedy on a global scale. Women and men, young and old, across the world and right next door, COVID-19 has impacted the way in which we l…
In Sedgwick’s recent blog, we discussed return to work strategies during the pandemic. Let’s keep the momentum going. Business owners are asking many questions about how to bring employees back to the workplace in a way that is safe and p…
We are living in very challenging and surreal times. In response to the novel coronavirus pandemic, countries, cities and states have instituted mandatory restrictions on public gatherings, closed non-essential businesses and given “stay-at-home” ord…
The concept of resiliency has captured the attention of mental health professionals around the globe. And for good reason. Resiliency is our emotional fitness, or ability to bounce back from, cope with and adapt to adversity. Think of that old saying…
(DMEC) - One of the most heartwarming commercials on air today features a veteran at an animal shelter surveying dogs available for adoption. While most of the dogs are playfully vying for attention, he notices one dog with soulful eyes, quietly rest…
In the workers’ compensation and disability arena, working itself is beneficial to a person. Work is therapeutic. Besides the obvious financial benefit, working also offers valuable opportunities to socialize and be productive. Socializing, being at …
In a recent case, I helped an injured employee overcome anxiety and return to work. It turned out that going back to work was its own kind of cure. Ryan was off work due to a lower back injury. His claims examiner contacted me becau…