2019 was a transformative year for the workers’ compensation industry. First responders saw a huge improvement in their workers’ compensation coverage, New York adopted a brand-new drug formulary, electronic prescribing become mandatory in some states, and numerous bills were passed to ensure better safety and monitoring around the prescribing of opioids.
All these changes and new processes kept our blog team busy all year. From medical marijuana to IWP team features, our blog covers it all.
We’ve gathered our top 10 blog posts as a fun and informative way to look back on the year of 2019.
- Side Effects vs. Adverse Event - Coming in as our top blog post of the year, Side Effects vs. Adverse Event, written by IWP Pharmacist Vivian Tahmasbi, breaks down the difference between a side effect and an adverse event and offers advice on important steps you should take when starting a new medication.
- 5 Things Every Injured Worker Should Know About Workers’ Comp – Work injuries are unexpected. To prepare yourself, we’ve compiled a short list of must-haves, like filing a workers’ compensation claim, and what to look out for, like employer retaliation.
- Calculating Dosage Risk with Morphine Milligram Equivalents – With the opioid crisis in America affecting thousands of individuals, MME’s are used as a safeguard to ensure a patient’s health and safety while taking medications needed to manage their pain. If your interested in understanding more about MME’s and their ability to help reduce potential risk, check out this post.
- New York Workers’ Comp Drug Formulary: What to Expect - Now into its first implementation date, the New York workers’ compensation drug formulary has proven to be complex and unique. To prepare both providers and injured workers for the transition, this blog post gives a great overview of the formulary and its effect on the state of New York
- 4 Important Technology Advancements in Pharmacy - In today’s world, technology is improving many facets of our life. Thanks to technology, pharmacists and the work they do is improving as well. This blog post dives into 4 important pharmacy advancements that are diverse and cross-functional.
- Will Workers’ Comp Cover My Pre-Existing Condition? - Curious as to whether your pre-existing condition can be covered through workers’ compensation? This post helps explain why a pre-existing condition may or may not be covered and offers advice on what to do if your condition worsens during your employment.
- First Responder Coverage Becoming a Hot Topic in 2019 - Arguably one of the hottest legislative trends in 2019, the expansion of workers’ compensation coverage for first responders was implemented in many states across the country. This post looks at the two areas where legislation was focused the most: cancer presumptions and mental health coverage.
- How Medical Marijuana is Impacting Workers’ Comp - Medical marijuana and its place in the world of workers’ compensation was a hot topic this year. As the use of medical marijuana continues to grow, this blog discusses the impact on the industry and explains both the benefits and drawbacks of using medical marijuana as a method of treatment for injured workers managing chronic pain.
- How 2019 Legislative Trends Will Impact Injured Workers -Posted earlier this year, Director of Government Affairs & Legal, Danielle Jaffee, provides readers a high-level overview of the legislative trends for 2019 and discusses the trending impact on injured workers across the country. This is a great read for both injured workers and workers’ compensation professionals interested in learning more about how legislation effects the industry.
- Meet Our Team: Albert Dowrey - As an IWP Pharmacist, Albert Dowrey plays a crucial role in interacting daily with injured workers, helping them receive the care they need on their way to recovery. In this blog post, Albert discusses the most rewarding parts of his role, and what he believes sets IWP apart from other pharmacies.
As this year ends and 2020 arrives, some trends will remain while others fade away. What we do know is that workers’ compensation will continue to evolve, and we’ll be here to recap the important changes that affect injured workers and those who support them.