As we select educational presentations for 2023, we’re looking for content that reflects these fundamental themes, common to all of us across industry sectors.

• Workers’ Comp Transcends Injury and Illness. The impact of comorbidities, mental health and psychosocial factors on claims can’t be ignored. Thoughtful, common-sense approaches to treating the whole injured worker are driving more comprehensive care, faster claim resolutions and a better injured worker experience – while positively impacting both medical and indemnity costs.
• Technology Enhances People. The adaptability of technology has been at the core of solving problems we’ve never faced before, putting viable solutions into the hands of the organizations that need them most. Wearables, innovative sensor technology, AI-driven analytics and more play unique roles in the overall context of the problems that organizations are facing now.
• Resilience Is Foundational. In the post-pandemic world, we’re asking “How can we be better prepared for the next crisis? The next challenge? The next unexpected load to bear?” National Comp’s programming is designed to facilitate discussions about the industry’s future, about preparedness and adaptability, as well as the influences reshaping the industry.
• The Way Forward Is Together. In an uncertain world, the workers’ comp community is far greater than the sum of its parts. Employers, claims professionals, TPAs, MCOs, brokers, pharmacy benefit professionals, attorneys, risk consultants and more bring essential insights and experiences to the table for the benefit of injured workers and the workforce as a whole.

We’ve redeveloped our session tracks to reflect the scope of complex issues facing the industry now and moving forward. We seek presentations and presenters who will help attendees address the issues and trends they face across these categories. National Comp seeks a mixture of critical topics, hot-button issues and emerging challenges throughout these tracks.

1. FOUNDATIONS: The best organizations weave together structures, values and people to create a strong foundation for their workers’ comp programs, and a clear path for the future. We welcome proposals for the Foundations track that address the advocacy model, the injured worker experience, WC culture, maximizing vendor partnerships, IDM, navigating renewals, working with brokers and carriers, alternative risk transfer, worker/injured worker engagement and more.

2. PREDICT: A deeper dive into how analytics, AI, machine learning, wearables and more can be leveraged to reduce injuries as well as medical and loss costs. For the Predict track, we seek vendor-agnostic perspectives on what kinds of data provide the most predictive value, where that data lives, and how to harvest and refine it to effectively predict injuries and staunch losses.

3. PREVENT: A broader look at the prevention of injuries, using both technological and traditional methods, The Prevent track seeks proposals related to safety, safety culture, pre-hire/new hire strategies, MSD prevention, athletic/sports training approaches, total worker health, wellness, worker education & engagement, safety training, safety for multilingual workforces, stress/burnout management and more.

4. TREAT: Whether injuries are common or catastrophic or medical-only, you need up-to-date intelligence on the medical, pharmaceutical and pain management trends that will help you achieve superior outcomes for injured workers. The Treat track seeks proposals related to injuries/illnesses, comorbidities, early reporting, managing medical networks, coordination of care, PDMPs, provider and injured worker education, PBMs, durable medical goods, surgical implants, opioids, PT, complex claims, first aid, nurse triage, mental health care and more.

5. RESOLVE: The journey to recovery is unique for each claim. WC professionals are continuously looking to add to their arsenal of tools and strategies to eliminate obstacles to recovery and return to work. The Resolve track seeks proposals related to RTW strategies, job analysis/light duty banks, offsite light duty, accommodations, psychosocial barriers, social determinants of health, disability accommodation, injured worker health & nutrition, emotional support systems, timely payment of benefits, the role of adjusters and so much more.

6. DEFEND & COMPLY: The legal and regulatory landscape impacting the workers’ comp industry evolves rapidly. Workers’ comp professionals need innovative strategies for limiting current exposures and the latest intel on the trends that could impact them around the corner. The Defend & Comply track seeks proposals that help employers get the most from their legal and compliance resources, including litigation prevention, counsel management, fraud investigations, claims closure initiatives, the latest need-to-know information from state and federal courts as well as OSHA, ADAAA and CMS.

7. THE BIG PICTURE: This track includes the high-level topics impacting the workers’ comp industry as a whole. What are the macro pressures impacting the workers’ comp industry, and what are their implications? What are the trends that should be brought to the table, and what actions should be taken? The Big Picture track seeks the perspectives and strategies that belong on WC professionals' radar, including the pressures of the talent gap and the Great Resignation, industry performance, public perceptions, the gig economy, political and economic trends, climate change and more.