2015 NWCDC

Theodore Roosevelt Workers’ Compensation and Disability Management Award Winners

Teddy Award winners will be honored on Thursday at "Steal These Ideas! Award-Winning Employers Share Their Successes," beginning at 8:30 a.m.
By: | November 11, 2015

These are the 2015 Teddy Award winners. For full descriptions of their programs, please click on their names:

American Airlines

The American Airlines and U.S. Airways merger meant integrating workers’ compensation programs for a massive workforce. The results were stellar.

“We basically started an entirely new workers’ comp program. We put together a new workers’ comp team and redefined the roles of that team.” — Jennifer Saddy, director of workers’ compensation, director of corporate insurance and risk management, American Airlines

  • The AA and U.S. Air merger resulted in a 100,000-employee workforce.
  • A new workers’ comp program was devised that established greater claim oversight.
  • Achievements include reductions in injuries, pharmacy costs and total incurred costs, as well as closing cases more quickly.

Stater Bros. Markets

From celebrating safety success to aggressively rooting out fraud and abuse, Stater Bros. Markets is making workers’ comp risk management gains on multiple fronts.

“We care about our brothers and sisters. We care about our team. Our great leader Jack H. Brown always tells us, ‘Do the right thing for the right reasons.’ And we do.” — Tamara Ulufanua-Ciraulo, director of insurance, Stater Bros. Markets

  • Employees have access to physical therapists four days a week, who can offer taping, wrapping, icing and free advice.
  • Stater Bros. conducts drug tests to ensure pain medications are being utilized rather than sold.
  • 53 of 168 stores have gone a full calendar year with zero workers’ comp claims.

Columbus Consolidated Government, Ga.

In three years, the Columbus Consolidated Government was able to substantially reduce workers’ compensation claims costs, revamp return-to-work and enhance safety training.

“I have worked with all of our departments to allow their employees to be provided light duty in another department when there is none available in their own.” — Anne-Marie Amiel, risk manager, Columbus Consolidated Government, Georgia

  • Days out of work were reduced from 109 days in 2011 to 28 days in 2014.
  • Costs per claim dropped from $9,971 in 2011 to $3,641 in 2014.
  • The new centralized return-to-work program gets light-duty employees back on the job faster.

Barnabas Health

Barnabas Health wins a Teddy Award for pushing one hospital’s success in workers’ comp systemwide.

“Showing cause and effect with real-life stories about actual people was very successful. One injury, especially one that could be avoidable, is unacceptable.” — Caryl Russo, senior vice president, Barnabas Health Corporate Care

  • In three years, Barnabas cut its incurred costs per claim in half.
  • The introduction of occupational medicine specialists was key.
  • Best practices were promoted throughout the health system, like a new product line.

To read the compete profiles highlighting the achievements of all of these companies, please click here.

The R&I Editorial Team can be reached at [email protected].

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