Potential Drug Therapy Treatments for COVID-19: Impact on Workers’ Compensation
5 MIN READ
As response to the COVID-19 pandemic shifts into new phases—parts of the United States are reopening and businesses and many states are considering how to get people back to work—scientists continue to research potential medications that could be used to treat the disease.
2020 mPower Virtual Conference
On-Demand
Over the past several months, the Mitchell | Genex teams have been closely monitoring the developments surrounding COVID-19 and the CDC’s recommended travel guidelines.
Why Use Antidepressants to Treat Pain?
2 MIN READ
Why use antidepressants to treat pain? The nation’s focus on the ongoing opioid epidemic and stricter guidelines on opioid prescribing has led to an increased utilization of non-opioid pain treatments in workers’ compensation. In a previous blog post, we looked at the use of anticonvulsants to treat pain because of their ability to create effective pain relief without the cravings, tolerance, or addiction issues that are typically associated with narcotics. Another therapeutic class commonly used to treat chronic pain is antidepressants, which may even be prescribed when depression is not a diagnosed condition for the injured worker.
Topical Medications in Workers' Compensation and Auto Casualty
3 MIN READ
This article is part of our ongoing Quarterly Drug Update series. View our last article on gabapentinoids. Topical medications are an important part of care in the workers’ compensation and auto casualty industries, providing relief for patients in pain. In the past few years, the variety of available topical medications has increased, which has also driven up the number of prescriptions, particularly for new analgesic and local anesthetic drugs. While this variety allows for greater choice, many of the new branded medications are very expensive.
Is there a new concern related to Gabapentin use and serious breathing problems?
3 MIN READ
In a drug safety communication from FDA Medwatch, the FDA warns about serious breathing difficulties related to the use of gabapentinoid (GabaP) medications in patients with other respiratory risk factors.1
Return to Work Program Benefits & Strategies
7 MIN READ
Developing successful return to work (RTW) plans is instrumental to efficient and effective workers’ compensation claims management. Such initiatives integrate individual considerations for all injured employees that go beyond simply treating the initial injury, including comorbidities, psychosocial issues, light-duty options and pain management protocols.
The Future of Pain Therapy in Workers’ Compensation
4 MIN READ
As we move into a new decade, we continue to look for solutions to address the opioid crisis and discover alternative ways to treat pain. From a drug-therapy perspective, current alternatives to opioids include NSAIDs, anticonvulsants and occasionally certain antidepressants. Non-drug therapies include physical therapy, home exercise programs and electrical therapy treatments.