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Access-to-care challenges dominate employer, comp industry concerns - Business Insurance Skip to content Register for free Search Search Log In Risk Management Cyber Risks Pricing Trends Mergers & Acquisitions Technology Sponsored Content WSIA RISKWORLD Workers Comp & Safety Workers Comp Cost Control Pain Management Workplace Safety International EMEA Asia-Pacific Latin America People Events BI Intelligence Top 100 Agents & Brokers Best Places to Work 2025 Lists Directories Insurance Pricing BI Stock Index Magazine Current Issue Past Issues Subscribe Women to Watch ALL INsurance Resources Risk Perspectives Sponsored Content Webinars White Papers Risk Management Cyber Risks Pricing Trends Mergers & Acquisitions Technology Sponsored Content WSIA RISKWORLD Workers Comp & Safety Workers Comp Cost Control Pain Management Workplace Safety International EMEA Asia-Pacific Latin America People Events BI Intelligence Top 100 Agents & Brokers Best Places to Work 2025 Lists Directories Insurance Pricing BI Stock Index Magazine Current Issue Past Issues Subscribe Women to Watch ALL INsurance Resources Risk Perspectives Sponsored Content Webinars White Papers Risk Management Cyber Risks Pricing Trends Mergers & Acquisitions Technology Sponsored Content WSIA RISKWORLD Workers Comp & Safety Workers Comp Cost Control Pain Management Workplace Safety International EMEA Asia-Pacific Latin America People Events BI Intelligence Top 100 Agents & Brokers Best Places to Work 2025 Lists Directories Insurance Pricing BI Stock Index Magazine Current Issue Past Issues Subscribe Women to Watch ALL INsurance Resources Risk Perspectives Sponsored Content Webinars White Papers Risk Management Cyber Risks Pricing Trends Mergers & Acquisitions Technology Sponsored Content WSIA RISKWORLD Workers Comp & Safety Workers Comp Cost Control Pain Management Workplace Safety International EMEA Asia-Pacific Latin America People Events BI Intelligence Top 100 Agents & Brokers Best Places to Work 2025 Lists Directories Insurance Pricing BI Stock Index Magazine Current Issue Past Issues Subscribe Women to Watch ALL INsurance Resources Risk Perspectives Sponsored Content Webinars White Papers Access-to-care challenges dominate employer, comp industry concerns by Louise Esola Workers Comp , Workers Comp Cost Control Mar 11, 2026 BOSTON — Access to medical care for injured workers has become one of the top concerns in workers compensation, with employers, insurers and regulators saying provider shortages, specialty backlogs and administrative barriers are complicating claims management. Across several sessions at the Workers Compensation Research Institute’s Issues & Research Conference last week, speakers described a health care environment where injured workers can face delays scheduling specialty visits or surgeries, even in areas with large numbers of physicians. Those challenges reflect broader pressures on the health care system that are increasingly spilling over into workers compensation, affecting recovery timelines and return-to-work outcomes, they said. Insurers increasingly encounter “ghost networks,” in which physicians listed in provider directories ultimately decline to see workers comp patients, said Dr. Mary Capelli-Schellpfeffer, Boston-based vice president and national medical director for workers compensation at Liberty Mutual. “You look in the directory and the provider is there, but when you call, they’re not seeing workers comp patients,” she said. The issue often centers less on whether specialists exist and more on whether they will treat injured workers quickly and at reasonable reimbursement rates, employers said. Publix Super Markets places strong emphasis on building relationships with physicians and coordinating care through in-house nurses to help injured workers navigate those challenges, said Sharon DelGuercio, Winter Garden, Florida-based director of workers compensation for the grocery chain. Access challenges vary widely depending on geography, said Nicole Patterson, Philadelphia-based director of workers compensation and risk management operations for Aramark. The company has found nurse triage and telemedicine programs useful in rural areas where providers may be scarce, she said. But urban markets present different hurdles. “In urban centers, urgent cares aren’t always occupationally focused,” Ms. Patterson said, noting that long wait times and facilities unfamiliar with workplace injuries can make it difficult to quickly connect employees with appropriate treatment. At Walt Disney World Resort, the company’s scale helps secure physician relationships in its local market, said Orlando-based senior claims manager Lisa Daughtry. Shortages persist, however, in specialties such as pulmonology and neurology, requiring adjusters to remain closely involved to keep treatment plans aligned with compensable care, she said. The problem is particularly acute for construction workers whose job sites are often located far from medical providers, said Neil DeBlock, Palatine, Illinois-based vice president and head of workers compensation and accident & health claims for Zurich North America. Many construction projects take place in rural areas where health care resources are scarce, so injured workers may face long travel times to reach hospitals or specialists. “We have a lot of construction companies and a lot of our job sites tend to be in rural areas,” he said, noting that when injuries occur, “it’s a longer ride to the hospital.” Marriott International Inc. has embraced telehealth to help address access challenges in resort destinations and tourist markets where specialty providers are limited, said Justin Romine, the hotel chain’s Bethesda, Maryland-based vice president of global claims. However, not all employers are convinced that telemedicine can fully solve access issues in workers comp. Virtual visits can fall short when evaluating physical injuries, said Frank Rivera, Boston-based director of risk management and workers compensation for the Massachusetts Port Authority. “In workers compensation, it’s that in-person interaction,” he said, noting that conditions such as back injuries and other musculoskeletal problems are difficult to properly assess remotely. Access barriers can also arise from the structure of the workers compensation system itself. Administrative processes, such as treatment authorization requirements, can sometimes delay care even when providers are available, said Paul Tauriello, Denver-based director of workers compensation for the Colorado Department of Labor & Employment. “The system we set up can get between someone who needs care and actually getting it,” he said. 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