Like many, I ushered in 2021 by saying good riddance to 2020! It was an unmeasured year presenting many obstacles and a “new normal” that we all hope is temporary. I would like to thank our members and sponsors for supporting our abbreviated educational schedule last year. We are cancelling our educational luncheons through the Spring of 2021. We will finalize plans for activities in the second half of the year, when COVID abates.
IWCI is pleased to announce that we will host an educational webinar on March, 4 2021, COVID in the Workplace. The agenda will include 4 speakers; a physician, an attorney, the Indiana Work Comp Board and a Master Work Comp Advisor. We plan to discuss COVID exposure and risk, claim history (to date), legal aspects and clinically what is being noted to include a discussion regarding Long COVID and how to treat the associated myriad of symptoms. The webinar will conclude with a panel discussion designed to address attendee questions. Stay tuned – more details will be posted on our website soon!

As we welcome a fresh, new year – may we all look forward to once again gathering together. I’m hopeful that we are able to resume our August seminar, whether in-person, remote or a hybrid event. Please know that the IWCI Board will work diligently to renew our educational efforts in a safe and fun way!

My parting thought for you…
Two years after the end of World War I and the last Pandemic (Spanish Flu), America ushered in the ‘Roaring 20’s’. Culture, media and the role of women in society revolutionized during this decade . The economy was booming! Let us have faith that history does tend to repeat, and the remainder of this decade will rock and roll!

Dr. Robert Gregori
IWCI President

With Labor Day, comes the end of summer and recognition that this year, like all others, has been flying past us.  Even though we were locked down for months and emerged wearing masks and social distancing, time has not slowed down.  Many of us have endured hardships and some of us, illness or worse.  At IWCI this year, we too have been managing without.  We cancelled most of our luncheons, our annual seminar, and the holiday party.

As many of you know, we normally host our Annual Golf Outing in June.  We elected to postpone the event this year for obvious reasons.  Fortunately, the COVID State numbers are starting to fall, and Golf venues have successfully been open for months.  Therefore, we are excited to report that on October 2^nd we will be hosting the IWCI annual golf event.  This year will feature the addition of the Coriden Cup, which will be presented to the winner of the golf outing.  The event honors a long time IWCI supporter and attorney, Terry Coriden.  The players will compete for the trophy, which the winner will hold until the following year.  The winner’s names will be permanently engraved on the trophy.

We recently opened registration and are happy to note many sponsorship spots have been taken.  However, we still need golfers!  So please support this years IWCI’s main event and sponsor a hole or register a foursome to golf for the honors of being the first winner of the Coriden Cup.  This year’s theme is “Legends in Sports”.  Participants are encouraged to dress as their favorite sports legend (please see our website for details).

Other events that are still on the schedule this year include a luncheon on October 15^th at the Ritz Charles, featuring spine surgeon, David Schwartz, M.D. with Ortho Indy.  On November 5^th, the Indiana Work Comp Board will be speaking on EDI update, claim filings/COVID, legislative updates and PPIs.  We hope to have many attend these luncheons live but the presentation will be available as a webinar for those not ready to venture out.  The North West Chapter also has a webinar on September 23^rd featuring Dr. Khanna (Spine) and one on Ethics in October (see website for details).

We hope to see you at this year’s golf outing and have every intention of resuming a full schedule of pre-COVID IWCI events, conditions permitting, as we move into 2021.  I am also hopeful that next year will be less stressful and a bit more normal.  Please stay safe.  I look forward to seeing you all in the near future!

One year ago, a viral pandemic of COVID’s magnitude was predicted by only a few virologists.  Although I recognized this potential, it was only a fleeting occasional thought.  This time of year, typically brings IWCIs annual seminar where many of us gather to be educated or catch up with old friends.  We would have already had 2 to 3 educational luncheons and been chatting about who had the longest drive at the Golf Outing, months before.  Well, as we all know, this year has been much different.  Who would have thought we would be wearing face masks for much of our waking hours or having to social distance when partaking in social activities?  Many of us are now working from home and the only happy hours we get to enjoy are virtual.  My educational engagements this year have been conducted online and many others postponed or cancelled.

I am once again saddened to report that your IWCI Board recently elected to cancel this years Holiday Party.  There was unanimous agreement that we could not safely host an indoor event with hundreds of people.  However, we did feel that an outdoor event where people could social distance posed much less risk and as such, we are moving forward with plans to host the IWCI Golf Outing on October 2^nd.  As this will likely be our only major event of the year, we are encouraging our sponsors to consider supporting this event.  As a business owner, I realize budgets are tight, but I also believe that the educational opportunities that are central to IWCI’s mission provide a vital resource for work comp community.  For those businesses that are weathering the storm, I would kindly ask that you continue your sponsorship of IWCI in order to help us be able to provide the same great opportunities to our members that they have enjoyed in the past.  I am hopeful that we will have plenty golfers out enforce to compete for the first Coriden Cup.  Stay tuned for the registration link that will soon be available on our website.

We are still scheduled for luncheons at the Ritz Charles October 15^th and November 5^th.  Dr. Schwartz will present on Spine Surgery in October and the WCB will be addressing questions raised in the recent survey to members at the November event.  We all miss the camaraderie of our group events but we are hopeful that next year we may return to some sense of normalcy.

Dr. Robert Gregori

IWCI President

Most of you are likely starting to resume a few activities outside your home, but are still cautious about fully normalizing your day to day schedule.  We are certainly not at the end of the road, but I am optimistic that soon we will once again be able to enjoy things like sporting events, concerts or going to the movies.  As I last reported, we were eager to resume our June and August IWCI events, potentially with the addition of a virtual component.  However, after much deliberation and diligence, the IWCI Board has elected to cancel the June luncheon and the August Seminar.

We appreciate the feedback many of our members provided.  Although a handful were eager to attend a live event, many were not ready or allowed to by their employers.  Some of our speakers also expressed concern about attending a live group event.  In addition, sponsor attendance and thus, their financial support, was on shaky ground.  Lastly, the costs to host a virtual event would almost double our expense and was somewhat prohibitive.  Given all of these factors, the IWCI Board felt the most prudent decision was to cancel the Annual Seminar.

On an optimistic note, we have decided to reschedule the June luncheon to October.  The IWCI website will be updated soon with the specific date. If you previously registered to hear Dr. Schwartz speak on “Spine – Surgical Decision Making in Work Comp”, we would ask that you remain patient as we anticipate his presentation will be just as exceptional this fall.  Although cancelling the ‘big event” this summer was a very tough decision, know that we are committed to our members and need to keep everyone’s health front and center.

As disappointing as this news may seem, I would remind you that our Golf Outing is scheduled for October 2^nd with a theme of “Legends in Sports”.  In addition, this will be the inaugural “Coriden Cup” in honor of attorney Terry Coriden.  I am assured that this year’s winners will not only have bragging rights but also their names engraved onto this trophy recognizing Terry and his years of service in the workers comp community. We are also actively planning the Holiday Party, which promises to be another great time at the Columbia Club Friday December 4^th.

We will miss seeing many of you over the next couple of months but that will make our reunions in October all the more special.  Thank you in advance for supporting IWCI during these unusual times.

Robert Gregori, M.D.
IWCI President