Published Articles and Papers

An In-Depth Look at the Trends—Variation in Physician Peer-Review Outcomes: Analysis of Five-Year Trends in Workers Compensation and Disability
by Jacob Lazarovic MD, Jerry Beavers MD, and John J. Brusk
reprint from The Journal of Workers Compensation, Vol. 17 No. 2, Winter 2008
     The medical component of workers compensation claims continues to increase. Physician reviews, also known as peer reviews, are frequently used by workers compensation (WC) managed care organizations to provide expert clinical judgments in order to facilitate effective claim handling. However, studies of the outcomes of WC peer reviews have been relatively limited in size and scope. This analysis was conducted within a WC third party administrator’s (TPA) physician review panel.

Effective Pharmacacy Managagement Programs, A Comparison of Different Approaches—Effective Pharmacy Management Programs in Workers Compensation
by Jacob Lazarovic MD, Celeste Player PharmD, and John J. Brusk
reprint from The Journal of Workers Compensation, Vol. 18 No. 1, Fall 2008
     Pharmaceutical costs have long been a troublesome concern for all of the parties involved in the workers compensation (WC) arena. Although there has been some moderation in the rate of the rise of drug costs lately, they still represent a significant and escalating component of total medical costs for most insurers and employers, and consequently, they are of great interest to third party administrators (TPAs) and managed care companies.

Mental Health Care Management, Managing the Effectct of Psychiatric Complications Following Physical Injury—Effectiveness of Enhanced Mental Health Care Management
by Robert K. Dawes PsyD, Jacob Lazarovic MD, and John J. Brusk
reprint from The Journal of Workers Compensation, Vol. 16 No. 2, Winter 2007
     Significant delays in claim closure can result when psychiatric issues complicate the recovery process of physical injuries.1 The third party administrator (TPA) of one large manufacturer set out to analyze the problem and develop interventions in response to concerns that mental health overlays were extending the lost time associated with workers compensation claims. The TPA’s medical department, in collaboration with care management units, triaged all claims with mental health components and implemented new strategies for case resolution.

Broadspire Facilitating Return to Work—Physician Peer-to-Peer Intervention as an Absence Management Tool for Workers Compmpensation
by Jacob Lazarovic MD, Jerry Beavers MD, and John J. Brusk
reprint from The Journal of Workers Compensation, Vol. 16 No. 3, Spring 2007
     It is well known that work absence is associated with societal economic loss as well as individual worker distress. Labor sociologists indicate that “unemployment is more destructive to physical and mental health than all but the most dangerous jobs.”