Taking place August 17-20, professionals and leaders from across the industry gathered for the 79th Annual Workers’ Compensation Institute (WCI) Educational Conference in Orlando, Florida, for an amazing lineup of speakers, events, and dynamic discussions.

Paradigm was once again proud to serve as an Elite Sponsor for this year’s “WCI Palooza.” Throughout the four-plus days, our team led two thought-provoking sessions, shared insights and updates on WCI-TV, and strengthened our support with partners committed to improving lives and the state of care in workers’ compensation.

The Paradigm team ready for the week!

Pre-conference kickoff—rocking and putting for worthy causes
The Give Kids the World Gala kicked off the conference with a musical theme—Rockin’ for a Cause—and Paradigm was proud to be a Side Stage Sponsor, helping raise awareness and funds for critically ill children and their families. On Sunday, Paradigm once again sponsored the Kids’ Chance of Florida Golf Tournament, which brought together workers’ compensation leaders and golf enthusiasts for a fun and friendly tournament to provide educational scholarships for the children of severely or fatally injured workers.

An incredible story of connection and recovery
On the second day of the conference, Jan Saunders, CPO, Clinical Director Prosthetics, for Paradigm, and Jack Richmond, former President and CEO, Amputee Coalition, inspired attendees with a story of hope and the power of human-focused care for prosthetics patients. Moderated by Teddy Gonzalez, Medical Case Manager, Field Case Managers, “Transforming Lives – A Powerful Story of Recovery Through Early Intervention” shared Jack’s journey from despair—after losing his leg in a work-related accident—to the joy of walking at his company picnic. With the support and guidance of prosthetist Jan Saunders, Jack spoke about finding a renewed sense of purpose that ignited a passion to help others through his work with the Amputee Coalition.

Left to right: Jack Richmond, Laurie Richmond, Jan Saunders, Teddy Gonzalez

Keeping the focus on ethical care management
On Wednesday, Paradigm’s Jeff Ziblut, MS, MPT, CEAS, ODG-C, Senior Director, Post-Acute Care Services, and Lea Wagner, RN, Vice President, Case Management, took part in an in-depth discussion on the critical topic of ethical concerns in the workers’ compensation system. Joined by Robin Clifton, Director of Managed Care, Nobis Rehabilitation Partners, “Balancing Care and Costs—Ethical Dilemmas in Workers’ Compensation” helped professionals gain insight into identifying ethical dilemmas, including conflicts of interest and pressure to diagnose, and creating effective strategies for resolution with an emphasis on advocacy and value-focused practices.

Left to right: Lea Wagner, Jeff Ziblut, Robin Clifton

The latest Paradigm insights on WCI-TV
Throughout the conference, senior leaders appeared on WCI-TV to discuss challenges and developments in injured worker recovery, while highlighting Paradigm’s industry-leading solutions:

Left to right: Jim Frerking, Patrick O’Toole, Amy Sweezey

On Monday, Jim Frerking, Senior Vice President of Sales at Paradigm, and Patrick O’Toole, Vice President of Sales at Paradigm, shared how HERO Catastrophic^® Outcome Plans benefit public entities and their employees—including police officers, firefighters, and other public servants. Across an engaging interview, they explored the catastrophic injuries public employees are frequently exposed to, why public entity cases require a tailored approach to care management, and how specialized expertise drives better outcomes for injured workers and payers.

Outlining how this focused care translates to meaningful results, Patrick detailed Paradigm’s ability to guarantee outcomes and deliver results that are validated by a leading independent actuarial firm, including a nearly six times higher return to gainful employment and 32% lower lifetime medical costs. In an illustrative case study of the power of specialized care management, Jim shared the story of a lifeguard who sustained serious injuries and the proactive support she received in her recovery.

Watch the full interview here: WCI-TV 2025: Jim Frerking and Patrick O’Toole

Left to right: Nicolas Rizer, Shannon Ford, Amy Sweezey

Next, Shannon Ford, MA, CRC, Senior Vice President of Case Management at Paradigm, and Nicolas Rizer, Vice President of Sales at Paradigm, joined the broadcast to highlight the importance of quality measurement in case management that truly reflects better outcomes for injured workers. With an often-disproportionate focus on process compliance metrics like documentation and case duration, case management scorecards can often miss more critical factors such as avoiding unnecessary medical procedures and returning to work.

Nicolas shared how Paradigm’s Case Management Solutions are able to deliver return-to-work rates significantly above the industry average and cost savings that positively impact both financial and claims management stakeholders. In closing, Shannon stressed the need to move beyond traditional scorecards by focusing less on closing files quickly, and more on the long-term trajectory of recovery and the holistic impact on the workers’ compensation system.

Watch the full interview here: WCI-TV 2025: Shannon Ford and Nicolas Rizer

All in for workers’ compensation and beyond
Paradigm continues to be a committed and passionate supporter of the Alliance of Women in Worker’s Compensation and their mission to create positive changes in our field. On Wednesday, Paradigm team members attended the impactful workshop “ALL IN FOR the power of negotiations.” This empowering session focused on exploring the essential tools and techniques necessary to negotiate confidently in both personal and professional settings.

A huge thank you again to everyone who engaged and connected with us throughout the conference. We’re excited to sponsor and participate in the upcoming National Comp conference on November 11-12 in Nashville, Tennessee—where something special is coming together at our booth! Swing by to catch a few surprises that are sure to strike the right chord.