The Standard's Deborah Dukeshire reports on the WCRI Conference: 

A new study by the Workers' Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) found that the use of medical provider networks in workers compensation led to lower medical payments and faster access to care.  Claims treated within networks had a shorter duration of temporary disability, were less likely to have litigation expenses and resulted in lower overall costs per claim.

Read the full article here. 

The WCRI study in question is "Impact of Networks on Claim Outcomes." Dr. Rebecca Yang presented on its findings at the WCRI conference; it will be published on March 31. 

The following article in The Standard also cites WCRI research: in that case, CompScope™ Benchmarks, 2025 Edition.