Tim Rankin

Rising Medical

1) What is your current role within IWCI and how long have you been a part of IWCI?

I have been serving on the IWCI Board for 2 years, since the fall of 2022, however I have been involved in IWCI as a member and event participant since its inception in the early 90’s. I knew Betty Croshaw and I worked for John Shanks previously when I entered into the workers compensation space as a profession at the Indiana Workers Compensation Board in the mid 1980’s. Betty Croshaw and John Shanks were both great mentors in the field of workers compensation and so very generous with their knowledge and experiences.

2) How do you interface with Indiana worker’s comp claims in your work?

I initially worked on the regulatory side and as a claim specialist, and subsequently in leadership roles in the area of medical case management for the past 25 years. I am committed to the mission of assisting the members of our community in how to best respond to those who have been injured in the workplace so that they get the best and most expeditious care that they need to return to their most functional and productive selves. I believe when everyone works to achieve the same goals it improves the lives of working people in Indiana while also containing costs that are often most attributed to delayed care, suboptimal outcomes and protracted disability and litigation.

3) What are some of the unique challenges and opportunities you see in interacting with work comp claims in Indiana?

Navigating the individual roles and responsibilities of every stakeholder to ensure everyone’s interests are well served is probably the biggest challenge we all face. There are a lot of players involved and sometimes their objectives can seem divergent. Finding ways to ensure that everyone’s goals are aligned, expectations are appropriately managed, and that everyone can occupy the same boat and successfully row in the same direction to reach a desired destination is the most rewarding experience when it happens. Without intention, commitment and coordination, there are too many things that can cause people to row in various directions at the same time or sometimes abandon the boat altogether. Unfortunately, that can often result in increased costs to everyone involved and ultimately an unsatisfying outcome for the worker who has been most impacted. So, if there is any way that we in our professional capacities can promote the skills, knowledge, and responsible utilization of the resources available to improve the outcomes then I am all in.

4) What has been the best part of being a member of IWCI and the Indiana work comp community?

Being part of a small professional community really that is dedicated to giving their best selves to their work, serving employers and employees within our state when unexpectedly faced with injuries when they occur and working with colleagues who carry out their responsibilities with so much integrity. There are so many wonderful people I have encountered who work in our field and in the industries that we serve, and I have gained an immense amount of knowledge and deep satisfaction in knowing that we are all contributing to making other’s lives better.

5) What is a fun fact about yourself?

I am the biggest nerd! I get so enthusiastic about specific subjects or interests that I just get deeply committed to in my level of engagement. So much that I quickly get to nerd status. That could be live indie music, true crime, Japanese stationery (pens! pens! and more pens!), or all things workers compensation related. So, whatever you get nerdy about, I totally understand and I love hearing all about other’s interests and obsessions!