Research
ICIS Injury Score Card: Sprain Injuries
The latest CWCI Injury Scorecard takes a detailed look at California workers' compensation claims involving shoulder, arm, knee, and lower leg sprains using data from 236,567 open and closed claims from AY 2001-2011.
Twenty-Four Hour Coverage: Mandating Medical Coverage for California Employees
This study documents the size and structure of health and disability benefit systems in the mid-1990s and projects the impact of mandating medical coverage for all California employees and their non-working dependents.
Twenty-Four Hour Coverage: Evaluating Potential Sources of Costs and Savings
This study sets the parameters for potential medical savings that could result from a mandated expansion of group medical managed care into workers' compensation.
Evidence Based Medicine & The California Workers' Compensation System
This report traces the history and development of evidence-based medicine (EBM) and weighs the potential impact of the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM) guidelines by comparing ACOEM guideline recommendations to existing treatment and disability patterns among injured workers in California. The analysis modeled detailed medical and disability data from more than 1 million workplace injuries reflecting $8.6 billion in workers' compensation benefit payments. The study found that applying the objective ACOEM guideline criteria could significantly increase quality of care, reduce unnecessary medical costs and facilitate return-to-work for the low-back injuries.
Pharmaceutical Cost Management in California Workers' Compensation
This Report to the Industry provides background on the issue of pharmaceutical benefit delivery, reimbursement, and management in California workers' compensation. The analysis reviews past studies by CWCI and other research organizations that compare the California system to other programs, examines the current role and potential savings from PBMs, and outlines factors that are likely to affect the cost and delivery of pharmaceuticals to injured workers in the future.
Provider Experience and Volume-Based Outcomes in California Workers' Compensation: Does "Practice Make Perfect?"
A substantial body of evidence from the group health sector indicates that there is a strong relationship between physician experience, measured by the volume of care provided, and the outcome of that care. This study explores the association between the experience level of the providers who treat and manage California's injured workers and their outcomes as measured by claim costs (medical and indemnity) and other factors.
