Monitoring Trends after Adoption of Drug Formularies
This series of studies examines the impact of formularies on prescription drug utilization and costs in five states (Arkansas, California,… Read More >>
Workers’ Compensation Providers: Describing the Marketplace
This study helps policymakers and stakeholders get an informed view about access to providers in their states by describing the medical workforce treating workers with injuries. The study shows how often physicians treat workers with injuries, examines the volume and the types of services that physicians provide, and examines… Read More >>
Impact of Medical Provider Consolidation on Workers’ Compensation Payments
Medical markets are increasingly concentrated. This means that patients are more likely to be treated by physicians at sites owned by hospitals and health systems. This raises a policy concern that the increasing concentration of medical providers may lead to higher payments for medical care without corresponding improvements… Read More >>
Factors Associated with Extended Use of Physical Medicine Services for Workers with Low Back Pain
Physical medicine (PM) services are commonly used in treating workers with low back pain (LBP) and other musculoskeletal injuries.
This report documents the prevalence of extended use of PM services (referred to as extended PM use) among 28 study states for nonsurgical LBP claims.
The report also identifies… Read More >>
Patient-Reported Functional Outcomes after Low Back Pain—A Comparison of Workers’ Compensation and Other Payors
Patient-reported outcomes have assumed a place of high importance among governmental and non-workers’ compensation payment systems. They are a new way to provide insights into workers’ recoveries and how health care providers or systems deliver patient-centered care.
This new study examined… Read More >>
WCRI Announces Panel on Changes in the Workplace at 2023 Conference
Cambridge, MA, Feb. 16, 2023― Today, the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) shared information about a panel on “Changes in the Workplace” that will be held at its 2023 WCRI Issues & Research Conference, March 21-22 at the Renaissance Phoenix Downtown in Phoenix, AZ. The conference theme is "Disruption, Resilience, and Evolution."
Read More >>WCRI Webinar: Behavioral Health in Workers’ Compensation
Cambridge, MA, Nov. 22, 2022 – The Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) will host a free 30-minute webinar on its recent study A Primer on Behavioral Health Care in Workers’ Compensation on Thursday Dec. 15, 2022, at 2pm ET.
Read More >>Delaware Workers’ Compensation System the Focus of Upcoming WCRI Webinar
Cambridge, MA, Oct. 19, 2022 ― The Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) will host a free 30-minute webinar on Nov. 17, 2022, at 2 p.m. ET on its study Trends in the Delaware Workers’ Compensation System, 2015–2020.
Read More >>WCRI’s 39th Annual Issues & Research Conference
Our two-day program highlights presentations of WCRI's latest research findings while drawing upon the diverse perspectives of highly respected workers' compensation experts and policymakers from across the country.
Read More >>Latest Drug Trends in 28 States the Focus of Upcoming Free WCRI Webinar
Cambridge, MA, Sept. 1, 2022 ― The Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) will host a free 45-minute webinar on Sept. 29, 2022, at 2 p.m. ET on its FlashReport, Interstate Variation and Trends in Workers’ Compensation Drug Payments: 2018Q1 to 2021Q1. Two of the study’s authors, Dr. Vennela Thumula and Dongchun Wang, will discuss its key findings and take audience questions.
Read More >>New WCRI Studies Monitor the Impact of Drug Formularies
Cambridge, MA, March 30, 2023―A series of studies from the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) examines the impact of formularies on prescription drug utilization and costs in five states (Arkansas, California, Indiana, Kentucky, and New York) that implemented formularies in 2018 and 2019. They also examine the effect on physician dispensing and generic utilization in states with applicable formulary rules.
Read More >>New WCRI Study Compares Physicians’ Involvement in the Workers’ Compensation System across 34 States
Cambridge, MA, March 28, 2023―A new study from the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) helps policymakers and stakeholders get an informed view about access to providers in their states by describing the medical workforce treating workers with injuries. The study shows how often physicians treat workers with injuries, examines the volume and the types of services that physicians provide, and examines how these providers fit within a larger health care marketplace.
Read More >>Thank You for Attending WCRI’s 2023 Conference!
Thank you to all our speakers and attendees for making our 2023 WCRI Issues & Research Conference our best yet. We hope all our attendees enjoyed learning about our latest research, hearing from our well-regarded keynote speakers and panelists, and networking with our diverse audience. For those who attended, you still have time to download the slides from the conference app. Below are some articles and blog posts written about the sessions, which will be updated as more articles are published.
Read More >>WCRI: Costs to Treat Injured Workers Increase 8 Percent after Physician Practices Are Acquired by Hospitals
Cambridge, MA, March 16, 2023―A new study from the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) examines the impact of vertical integration of medical providers on payments for workers’ compensation care. In particular, it shows how payments for care provided by physicians to workers with injuries changed after hospitals and health systems acquired physician practices.
Read More >>Who Should Attend 2023 Issues & Research Conference?
A question we often get about our annual conference is who should attend? The answer is, anyone working to improve workers’ compensation systems or seeking to manage a changing environment will benefit. Better yet, take a look at the more than 200 organizations registered for our 2023 WCRI Issues & Research Conference, March 21-22 in Phoenix, AZ.
Read More >>Stay Informed
Receive periodic email updates on
WCRI studies and events.
Testimonials
Brad Lehto
Chief of Staff
Minnesota AFL-CIO
“WCRI's research allows stakeholders in Minnesota to more independently evaluate our workers' compensation system. It leads to more informed discussion on system reforms in a balanced, unbiased manner. Over the…”
Read more testimonials