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Media Advisory: April 24, 2008
BWC Board of Directors Holds Public Forum on Medical Service Improvements
The BWC Board of Directors held on April 24, a public forum on medical service improvements.
View the testimony from the forum here. (6.9MB PDF) |
COLUMBUS – The Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC) Board of Directors today continued its series of public forums to
gain input from Ohio’s workers’ compensation community. Today’s forum, the first of two on medical services, was designed
to enable employers, injured workers and other interested parties to discuss their perspective on the role of medical
providers, as related to workers’ compensation.
As part of its comprehensive operational reform efforts, BWC is evaluating its medical services programs to assure injured
workers have access to quality, cost-effective, timely delivery of care.
“As we work to stabilize and simplify Ohio’s workers’ comp system, providing quality medical care for injured workers is
paramount,” said BWC Administrator Marsha Ryan. “By identifying the barriers that are keeping quality providers from participating
in the system, and the impact it has on the treatment of injured workers, we will be better able to identify where to focus our
improvement efforts.”
More than 30 people provided testimony to the Board of Directors. Remarks focused on their experiences and ways they believe BWC
can enhance its medical provider network and strengthen or simplify rules related to medical treatment of injured workers.
Some of today’s testimony included the challenges medical providers face in providing timely and individualized treatment
when faced with rigid treatment rules for specific injuries.
“All parties, including the injured worker, are best served by accurate diagnoses allowances, proper treatment, and rapid
return-to-work,” said Dr. James Anthony, medical director, Mercy Hospital of Tiffin. “The result will be a more efficient
and lower cost system,” he added.
There were also several stakeholders who testified on the issue of provider performance. In his provided testimony, Dayton
area orthopedic surgeon Dr. Rudolf A. Hofmann stated, to assure superior care for BWC patients, a group of medical providers
should be identified as “preferred providers.” This identification would rest not only on professional qualifications but also,
after some time, review of “performance”, for instance, injured worker return-to-work effectiveness.
The Board of Directors plan to hold a second public forum on Thursday, June 26 from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. That forum will focus
on the scope of coverage and level of benefits for medical, vocational rehabilitation and pharmaceutical services; reimbursement
methodologies for these treatments; and best practices for assuring efficient and effective delivery of the managed care process.
For more information about BWC programs and services, visit ohiobwc.com.
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BWC Board of Directors
Chairman William Lhota, SI Employers | Charles Bryan, Actuary | David Caldwell, Employee Organizations | Alison
Falls, Investment & Securities | Philip Fulton, Employees | Kenneth Haffey, CPA | James Harris, Employee
Organizations | James Hummel, Large Employers | Jim Matesich, Small Employers | Larry Price, Public | Robert
Smith, Investment & Securities
Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation
30 W. Spring St. | Columbus, Ohio 43215-2256
1-800-OHIOBWC | ohiobwc.com
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