Today, workers’ compensation claims professionals are demanding increased education to perform their jobs at optimal levels. On a daily basis, they’re under intense pressure to comply with new and changing regulatory requirements, case law, 
and treatment guidelines.
At the same time, they must communicate workers’ compensation objectives and expectations to numerous claims stakeholders, while coordinating diagnostic tests, specialty services (such as transportation or language services), quality care, and a timely return-to-work for injured employees.
At One Call Medical (OCM), we strive to make the job of claims adjusters and nurse case managers easier. One of the ways we do this is by offering free web-based and onsite courses through our OCM University. With these courses, claims staff can earn valuable continuing education units (CEUs).
This year to assess and better meet the educational requirements of the workers’ compensation industry, OCM conducted an education survey to which more than 290 claims professionals responded. The results demonstrated not only the success of OCM University as an educational platform, but also revealed key interests among claims professionals for education in both medical and non-medical areas.
In this news brief, we share those survey results in seven things you should know about OCM University.
“The main goal of our survey was to assess whether OCM University was meeting the needs of our workers’ compensation claims audience,” said Bill Colacurcio, vice president of marketing and sales support. “We were excited to learn how valued this program is among claims management professionals.”
Among survey respondents, 48% had participated in an OCM University course, and 99% of those respondents rated the content of OCM University’s CEU courses as either “excellent” or “good.”
“We aim to help claims professionals expand and deepen their expertise,” said Colacurcio. “After taking a course, many enrollees say they gain more information than they expected, and they walk away with knowledge they can use on the job.”
Survey results confirmed this observation—as 98% of respondents felt OCM University courses were “excellent” or “good” in terms of enhancing their professional skills.
In most states across the country, claims adjusters and nurse case managers must have a license to work in their field and earn a certain number of CEUs to maintain this certification. Survey results showed a high demand among claims professionals to earn CEUs. In fact, 95% of respondents said they enrolled in an OCM University course for the specific purpose of earning these credits.
To continually fine tune its course offering, OCM continually assesses the educational interests of claims adjusters and nurse case managers. According to its recent 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
Much of the input aligned with today’s top workers’ compensation claims management challenges.
OCM University has continued to evolve to meet industry needs and enrollee feedback. Earlier in the summer, it not only launched a simpler, more streamlined registration process, but it also unveiled a new and improved “look and feel” with a standalone logo to represent the program.
When visitors arrive at the enhanced OCM University site, it’s easier to see what courses and credits are being offered. The registration process is simplified, so participants can easily sign up for several different classes. Enrollees must attend the full session, including the Q&A, to be eligible for credit. Once they complete the course and fill out an evaluation, they will receive a certificate of completion and their CEU credit shortly thereafter.
#In November, OCM University will offer its last course for 2011:
Ocular Trauma Claims
Tuesday, November 8, 2011 @ 2:00pm Eastern
(1:00pm Central/ 11:00am Pacific)
“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. “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 OCM University site: http://www.onecallmedical.com/ocmuniversity.aspx
You can also visit and “like” OCM University on Facebook, where you can view the latest updates: https://www.facebook.com/ocmuniversity
With its diagnostic, dental, transportation, and language services, One Call Medical has achieved significant penetration into the workers’ compensation market, and through cross marketing and cross promoting, OCM University has, likewise, achieved tremendous growth.
“OCM University is yet another way we provide value and thought leadership to the workers’ compensation community we serve,” said Colacurcio. “Since 2009, we’ve experienced a 209 percent increase in enrollment, and a 130 percent increase in the number of webinars offered. The growing popularity of OCM University speaks volumes to the quality of the program and our ongoing commitment to educational excellence.”
As previously mentioned, CEU opportunities are free and available online or onsite. If you have questions or concerns, please contact: