Cambridge, MA, Jan. 18, 2024―Today, the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) announced that a session on “Psychological Risk Factors and Functional Recovery” will be held at its 2024 WCRI Issues & Research Conference, March 5-6 in Boston, MA. WCRI Policy Analyst Vennela Thumula will present the Institute’s latest research on the topic.

“This session provides insights into the prevalence of psychological risk factors, including fear avoidance or negative coping skills—often termed "yellow flags"—among physical therapy patients with low back pain. It also offers estimates on the impact of these factors on the functional recovery of injured workers, as well as a comparison with the recovery of non-workers’ compensation patients with similar conditions,” said Ramona Tanabe, president and CEO of WCRI.

WCRI’s two-day program highlights the Institute’s latest research findings while drawing upon the diverse perspectives of highly respected workers’ compensation experts, policymakers, and researchers from across the country. The following is a sample of the other sessions you will find at the conference:

• Comorbidities and the Functional Recovery of Low Back Patients
• Excessive Heat and Work-Related Injuries
• Impact of Vertical Integration on the Utilization of Care
• Medical Inflation in Workers’ Compensation

The WCRI conference is a leading workers’ compensation forum for policymakers, employers, labor advocates, insurance executives, health care organizations, claims managers, researchers, and others. Conference participants will leave with new insights, valuable networking contacts, and a better understanding of key issues in today’s competitive environment. A discounted, early-bird conference registration rate and a special conference hotel rate are available for a limited time. Click here to learn more or to register.

About WCRI:

The Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) is an independent, not-for-profit research organization based in Cambridge, MA. Organized in late 1983, the Institute does not take positions on the issues it researches; rather, it provides information obtained through studies and data collection efforts, which conform to recognized scientific methods. Objectivity is further ensured through rigorous, unbiased peer review procedures. WCRI’s diverse membership includes employers; insurers; governmental entities; managed care companies; health care providers; insurance regulators; state labor organizations; and state administrative agencies in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

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