PARSIPPANY, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--In workers’ compensation, education for claims professionals is a key priority. To assess and better meet today’s educational requirements, One Call Medical, Inc. (OCM), the nation’s leading provider of specialty services to insurance payers, today announced the results of its education survey, conducted with the participation of more than 290 claims professionals. Survey results demonstrated the success of OCM University as an education platform to the industry and revealed key interests among claims professionals for education in medical and non-medical areas.
Bill Colacurcio, vice president of marketing and sales support at One Call Medical, Inc. commented on the survey, “Our main goal was to assess whether OCM University was meeting the needs of our workers’ compensation claims audience. We were excited to learn how highly valued and rated this program is among adjusters and nurse case managers.”
Since 2009, OCM University (http://www.onecallmedical.com/ocmuniversity.aspx) has offered complimentary web-based and onsite opportunities to obtain training and earn continuing education units (CEUs). Of survey respondents, 48% had participated in an OCM University course and 95% of these participants enrolled with a specific interest in earning CEUs. This demonstrates the high demand for CEUs among workers’ compensation claims professionals. Today, most states require adjusters and nurse case managers to earn a specific number of CEUs each year to maintain licensed certification.
In terms of quality and value, 99% of respondents rated the content of OCM University’s CEU courses as either “excellent” or “good,” and 98% felt the CEU courses were “excellent” or “good” in terms of enhancing their professional skills.
“Since its inception, OCM University has strived to achieve educational excellence. The survey results validate the success of our program. OCM University has not only grown in popularity and size, but has also attained a superior reputation among our claims community,” said Colacurcio. “Another key survey objective was to solicit input from claims professionals regarding areas in which they required education. This information will be used to strategically align our 2012 curriculum with top educational needs.”
According to the survey, claims professionals were most interested in education on the following medical management topics (listed in order of popularity):
- Diagnostics, including MRI, CT, electromyography, and nerve conduction studies
- Pain management and determining chronic vs. acute care
- Diagnosing and treating back and spine injuries
- Head trauma and brain injuries
- Prescription management
- Mental health issues, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and stress-related claims
- New medical treatment and disability guidelines
- Repetitive motion injuries and carpal tunnel syndrome
Claims professionals were also interested in education on the following non-medical topics (listed in order of popularity):
- New updates in legislation, regulation, case law, compliance, and litigation management issues
- Successful communication and collaboration strategies, e.g. dealing with difficult patients and teamwork between adjusters and nurse case managers
- Ethics
- Fraud
- Successful return-to-work programs
- Vocational rehabilitation
“Combining feedback from our survey with our specialized areas of expertise, OCM University is now in the process of refining our 2012 academic calendar,” said Colacurcio. “For example, OCM’s medical director Dr. John Robinton will deliver a series of educational events focused on complex diagnoses and medical conditions—with an emphasis on how these issues affect workers’ compensation cases. We encourage claims professionals to frequently visit our website and Facebook page for additional announcements and the upcoming 2012 calendar.”
To receive updates on new course offerings, sign up at the new OCM University site: http://www.onecallmedical.com/ocmuniversity.aspx
You can visit and “like” OCM University on Facebook, where you can also view the latest updates: https://www.facebook.com/ocmuniversity
About One Call Medical, Inc.
One Call Medical, Inc. (OCM) is the nation's trusted partner, delivering a suite of easy-to-use, efficient and cost-effective specialty services that help claim professionals achieve superior outcomes. We provide the experience and reliability that optimizes each claim, setting the standard in innovation, customer service, and dependability.
When the management of every claim makes the difference to your bottom line, you can depend on OCM to provide easy, fast, and effective solutions. Through OCM's specialty diagnostic, transportation, translation, interpretation, and dental network services, our customers benefit from access to fully credentialed providers, prompt scheduling of services, and improved care.
Whether you are a payer, provider, injured worker, or patient, OCM’s specialized and consultative programs offer superior service delivery and value. With One Call Medical, better medical outcomes are only one call away.