Cambridge, MA― The Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) announced today that a distinguished panel will discuss opioid alternatives for pain treatment at WCRI’s 36th Annual Workers’ Compensation Issues & Research Conference, March 5 and 6, 2020, in Boston, MA.
“Opioid overdose deaths continue to be a top public health priority in the United States. This priority is shared by the workers’ compensation community, as injured workers are commonly prescribed opioids,” said John Ruser, president and CEO of WCRI. “This panel should be informative for those interested in the changes taking place in the way that injured workers are being treated for pain in workers’ compensation systems.”
The panel will open with Dr. Vennela Thumula, a policy analyst and author of WCRI’s Interstate Variations in Dispensing of Opioids, 5th Edition. Dr. Thumula will discuss the study’s findings, which found that the frequency of opioid dispensing is decreasing while non-opioid (e.g., NSAIDs) and non-pharmacologic pain treatments (e.g., physical therapy) have increased. Then a diverse and distinguished panel of researchers and clinicians will share their perspectives on where we are on this important public health topic.
The WCRI conference is a leading workers’ compensation forum. The two-day program highlights the Institute’s latest research findings while drawing upon the diverse perspectives of highly respected workers’ compensation experts and policymakers from across the country. Conference participants will leave with new insights, valuable networking contacts, and a better understanding of key issues in today’s competitive environment.
A discounted, early-bird conference registration rate, as well as a special conference hotel rate, is available for a limited time. To learn more or to register, visit https://conference.wcrinet.org/.
About WCRI
The Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) is an independent, not-for-profit research organization based in Cambridge, MA. Organized in late 1983, the Institute does not take positions on the issues it researches; rather, it provides information obtained through studies and data collection efforts, which conform to recognized scientific methods. Objectivity is further ensured through rigorous, unbiased peer review procedures. WCRI’s diverse membership includes employers; insurers; governmental entities; managed care companies; health care providers; insurance regulators; state labor organizations; and state administrative agencies in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
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