December 17, 2008

NEW ODG DRUG FORMULARY FROM WORK LOSS DATA INSTITUTE

Encinitas, CA – Work Loss Data Institute (WLDI) announces a new Workers’ Comp Drug Formulary available in the Official Disability Guidelines (ODG) product line.

The ODG Drug Formulary provides a listing of the different medications used in workers’ compensation cases, in table format, with populated categories for Drug Class, Generic Name, Brand Name, Generic Equivalent, Cost, and ODG’s proprietary Preferred Drug Status.  This is the most important column, and it contains a Y if the drug is a preferred drug, and is contained on the formulary.  It contains an N if the drug is not a preferred drug, because it is not recommended as a first-line treatment in ODG.  Derived from the evidence-based recommendations in the chapters from ODG Treatment in Workers’ Comp, there are hyperlinks from the Formulary entries to the supporting sections in the Procedure Summaries within each chapter of ODG Treatment in Workers’ Comp.  Within the Procedure Summaries, the medical evidence supporting each recommendation is summarized in detail, along with patient selection criteria and dosage guidelines, where appropriate, with complete reference and works-cited included.

Coinciding with the official release by WLDI is an announcement by the State of Texas proposing adoption of the ODG Workers’ Comp Drug Formulary, previously reviewed in draft form.  The Texas Department of Insurance, Division of Workers’ Comp (TDI, DWC) first adopted the ODG guidelines in December 2006 as the standard for non-network medical care administered for workers’ compensation claims statewide on or after May 1^st, 2007.  The latest announcement proposing the adoption of the ODG Drug Formulary was issued by DWC December 16^th, 2008. Other states are currently evaluating the ODG Workers’ Comp Drug Formulary, and considering its adoption to improve outcomes in their own state workers’ compensation systems.

Explains Phil Denniston, President of Work Loss Data Institute, “Drug costs have become a significant portion of total workers’ comp medical costs. Furthermore, there is increasing evidence that many injured workers are receiving inappropriate prescriptions that may not be the best choices in helping them recover from their injury or illness. The Drug Formulary summarizes key information from the ODG treatment guidelines – particularly if the drug in question is recommended as a potential first-line treatment.  This will cut down the necessary time to understand if a medication is covered in ODG, and where the recommendation stands.  Within the Formulary, links are provided to the complete evidence summaries, so that all of the recommendations are transparent and evidence-based, using the comprehensive ODG Evidence Ranking Methodology.  It should provide tremendous value to treating doctors, pharmacists, pharmacy benefit managers, bill review companies, and workers’ comp insurers, all at no extra cost.”

The ODG Drug Formulary is included as an Appendix to subscribers of the Web version of ODG Treatment in Workers’ Comp and will also be available in the 2009 7^th edition textbook release, available this January.  It provides easy-to-access status information for all the drugs covered throughout the ODG guidelines, including brand name and generic antidepressants, anti-epilepsy drugs, herbal medicines, muscle relaxants, nonprescription analgesics, NSAIDS, opioids, corticosteroids, topical analgesics and more. 

Work Loss Data Institute is an independent database development company focused on workplace health and productivity based in Encinitas, California.  The Official Disability Guidelines product line provides evidence-based medical treatment and disability duration guidelines to improve as well as benchmark outcomes in workers’ comp and non-occupational disability.  ODG is available in Web-based, textbook and Systems Integration formats, used in all 50 states and worldwide.  For more information, visit www.worklossdata.com or contact Work Loss Data Institute at 800-488-5548.