Posted on May 23rd, 2019 in Message from the President

As the weather warms we are looking ahead to a busy time with IWCI. The IWCI chapters in NE and NW Indiana maintained strong educational programs so far this year. If you are located in those areas, please mark your calendars and attend the monthly luncheon meetings. The President of the NW Chapter, Jason Hazelett, recently spoke at a breakfast meeting in Indianapolis on Dry Needling. The audience participation portion of the talk made for an interesting way to start the day. We were very appreciative of Jason coming to Indianapolis early in the morning. We thank him for his committed service to IWCI the last several years and wish him well as he turns over leadership this year. Although getting away in the morning or lunch can be a challenge to our workday, IWCI remains committed to providing relevant teaching and exposure to others in the worker’s compensation community.

The next big event for IWCI is the upcoming Golf Outing at Ironwood in Indianapolis. This is scheduled for Friday June 7. Please go to the web site to get registered. Also, plan to wear your best Woodstock apparel. This is always a fun event. Please remember you are funding the Betty Croshaw scholarships at Ball State University and Indiana State University with your participation.

We are in high gear preparing for the 2019 Annual Seminar. We will go live for registration and vendor signup on June 3. This year we are meeting on August 15 and 16. The seminar will be all day on Thursday, with the cocktail event beginning at 4 p.m., immediately following the last session. We have an excellent slate of speakers and topics this year. Our presenters on Thursday include Dr. Ratzman – Anesthesia Pain Consultants of Indiana, Gwen Eschelman – Team Rehab, Dr. Jaggers – Methodist Sports Medicine, Dr. Soldatis — OrthoIndy, Patrick Conley and Tim Ruth – Kenney Orthopedics and Dr. Reecer – Fort Wayne Physical Medicine. After a full day on Thursday, we will meet Friday from 8 to 12:30. The presenters will include attorney Jane Callies, Kopka Pinkus Dolin and case manager Tim Rankin – Preferred Disability Management. We will end the Friday sessions with presentations from Linda Hamilton, WCB Chairman, and staff at the WCB. This has been a year of change at the WCB and we will all want to get these updates.

We look forward to seeing you soon at the June Golf Outing and then in August at the Seminar. If you want a room at the Marriott East for the seminar please use this link Marriott Reservations to access the IWCI discount. These rooms are going fast (seriously), so please do not delay. Also, set your calendars for June 3 to register for the seminar and get the early bird registration rates.

Enjoy the race!

Greg Hale, Ph.D.

President – IWCI

 

 

Posted on September 29th, 2018 in Message from the President

IWCI welcomes you to our new website. In the last year we have been working to transition from our former website to a newer format. As many of you know, this involves more than a couple of strategically placed key strokes and then adding a little content! We are finally ready to introduce the new website to our membership and all those who follow IWCI. We all owe a debt of gratitude to Lisa Mohler, Norette Mason, and Steve Koers for their efforts to get this project done. Our hope is you will find this a good way to connect with a larger group of professionals involved in worker’s compensation in Indiana.

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Posted on May 22nd, 2018 in Message from the President

So, did you notice that we went from winter to summer in about one week?!  It reminded me that sometimes the unexpected happens and life will change when we least expect it.  One of the events that is expected each summer is the Annual IWCI Seminar.  The 2018 event will feature highly regarded speakers and timely topics for our training.

Topics

Nurse Case Managers.  Updates in the Worker’s Compensation Case Law.  Ethics in Worker’s Compensation.  Opioid Usage in Effective Pain Management.  Dry Needling for Worker’s Compensation patients. Case Studies in Environmental Illness. Analyzing Difficult Worker’s Compensation Cases. Causation of Upper Extremity Occupational Injuries.

Presenters

Worker’s Compensation Board staff Linda Hamilton, Katia Brodskaya, David Babcock – Attorneys James Bell and Ann Stewart – Nurse Case Manager Representative Tim Rankin – Physicians Shaun Kondamuri, Andrew Fischer, Sebastian Peers, and Amy Leland – Physical Therapists Katie McBee and Jason Hazelett – Keynote Speaker Phil Walls.

The event will once again be held at the Marriott on the east side of Indianapolis on August 16 and 17.  The Marriott has been a great host site for IWCI over the last several years.  Since 1991, IWCI has gathered the major stakeholders in worker’s compensation in Indiana.  In accordance with our mission, the 2018 annual seminar will feature sessions for our membership and guests, including attorneys, adjusters and claims examiners, nurse case managers, health care professionals, and employers.

It is time to get registered for the 2018 IWCI seminar.  Please be sure to register for the early bird registration beginning 6/1/2018.  Early bird registration expires 6/30/18.  Also, you can sign up for sponsorship opportunities beginning 6/1/18. The vendor area is always a lively place and a great opportunity to connect with others providing services throughout Indiana and neighboring states.  It is a great venue to showcase your services.

It is also time to schedule and book your room to get the reduced rate ($129).  The link is www.indianapolismarriotteast.com and be sure to tell them you are attending the IWCI seminar.

The next big event on the IWCI calendar is the Golf Outing at Ironwood Golf Course in Indianapolis. This event is always a great day and a wonderful way to have fun supporting the IWCI scholarships.  The event is June 15.  Please go to the website to signup for golfing and sponsorships.  Registration closes June 8 for sponsors and June 12 for golfers.So, gather your friends, colleagues, family members, or anyone else you want to bring for a day of fun.  https://iwcigolf2018.eventbrite.com

Annual Conference Details

Posted on May 10th, 2018 in Message from the President

Change.  It is what many of us seek to avoid.  However, for most of the seriously injured workers we see, change is part of the recovery process.  As Scott Peck reminded us in his book The Road Less Traveled, “life is difficult.”  One of the ways we can make it less difficult is to be better prepared for “how to” help those facing changes in their daily life.  I say all of this to remind us that those involved in providing health care and facilitating a claim are part of this change process.

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