ODG by MCG Expert Joins Workers' Comp Experts for Panel Discussion on Claims Consistency at National Comp 2026

Workers' compensation industry experts to explore how evidence-based guidelines, technology, and AI can support more consistent claims decisions

SEATTLE, Sept. 1, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- ODG by MCG, an MCG Health company and part of the Hearst Health network, announces its Director of Product Management, Pam Bloom-Pugliese, MBA, BSN, RN, will join fellow workers' compensation industry experts at National Comp 2026 for a panel discussion focused on putting evidence-based guidance into practice throughout the claims lifecycle.

The session, "From Guidelines to Outcomes: Practical Integration Strategies for Claims Consistency," will take place September 29, 2026, from 1:00–2:00 p.m. PT as part of the conference's Data & Technology educational track. Additional panelists in the session include Karen Thomas, the Vice President of Clinical Solutions with Corvel; Kerri Wizner, MPH, CPH, the Head of Epidemiology at MDGuidelines; and Dr. Steve Wiesner, a Medical Advisory Board Member at MDGuidelines.

Evidence-based recommendations and state treatment guidelines have become foundational to supporting quality, consistent workers' compensation care, but incorporating that guidance into everyday claims workflows can present practical challenges. During the session, Ms. Bloom-Pugliese and her fellow panelists will examine strategies organizations can use to integrate evidence-based guidance into critical decision points to reduce friction and add efficiency for claims and clinical teams.

"Evidence-based guidelines have the greatest impact when they are available at the right time and place to support the decisions people are already making," said Ms. Bloom-Pugliese. "This discussion is an opportunity to move beyond the idea of simply having guidelines available and focus on how organizations can operationalize them across the claim lifecycle to support greater consistency, confidence, and quality."

The panel will explore how evidence-based guidance can be incorporated across key stages of a workers' compensation claim, including intake and triage, care planning, case management, and utilization review. Panelists will share real-world implementation approaches and lessons learned, including where organizations have achieved improvements and where challenges remain.

Attendees will also hear about practical models being used across the industry, such as point-of-care support, case management triggers, workforce training, and decision support embedded directly into existing technology through APIs. The discussion will address the additional complexities organizations face when multiple guideline sources must be considered and how claims organizations can promote greater consistency across teams and workflows. In regard to the future of the workers' compensation industry, the panel will examine the potential role of artificial intelligence (AI) in the future of clinical and claims guidance, including the importance of critically evaluating AI-generated information when it is used to inform health-related decisions.

Attendees can also visit ODG by MCG's booth (#635) in the National Comp exhibit hall to learn how evidence-based guidance is being applied to support greater consistency and efficiency in workers' compensation decision-making. Representatives will be available to preview ODG's new AI-powered clinical intelligence solution for utilization review, which is designed to optimize review time while preserving human oversight and decision-making authority.

More information about the 2026 National Comp conference can be found at nationalcomp.org.

About ODG by MCG

ODG, an MCG Health company, (www.mcg.com/odg) provides unbiased, evidence-based guidelines that support workers' comp, disability, and auto liability claims and medical management in their efforts to confidently and effectively return people to health. The clinical guidelines and analytical tools within ODG are designed to improve and benchmark return-to-work performance, facilitate quality care while limiting inappropriate utilization, assess claim risk for interventional triage, and set reserves based on industry data.

About MCG Health

MCG Health, part of the Hearst Health network, is the trusted source of truth for clinical guidance in the healthcare industry. MCG combines evidence-based guidelines and analytics with artificial intelligence to guide efficient and accurate clinical decisions. MCG solutions are licensed by a vast majority of health plans, thousands of hospitals, and many state and federal government agencies to drive quality health outcomes while controlling costs. For more information, visit mcg.com.

SOURCE MCG Health