As we begin 2024, we reflect on the strides we have made in fulfilling our mission of improving the lives of as many people as possible. As always, our successes are only made possible by our incredible team of dedicated employees, clinicians, leaders, clients, and partners who support us. Above all, it is the injured workers, families, and patients who are at the heart of our mission, and their positive outcomes that drive our purpose.

Here are some key business highlights from 2023:

Named one of the Best Workplaces in Health Care™
For the second consecutive year, Great Place to Work® honored Paradigm as one of the Best Workplaces in Health Care™. Jumping three spots to number 17 on Best Workplaces in Health Care™ 2023, this prestigious list reflects our commitment to fostering a positive, diverse, and supportive employee-centric culture.

Deepening our product innovation
Throughout 2023, we continued to expand our product portfolio to offer a wide array of solutions.

• In January of 2023, we acquired Welvie , a leading health care decision-support company. With Welvie’s proven track record of improving health outcomes, the acquisition further enhances Paradigm’s products and services portfolio, while enabling development of new solutions to improve outcomes for patients, families, and customers.
• We also launched our HERO MSK^SM product, the industry’s first true value-based solution for all musculoskeletal injuries. With over $20 billion spent on musculoskeletal injuries per year in workers’ compensation, this program addresses conservative care and surgical interventions for all musculoskeletal injuries. This initiative blends our clinical and risk-sharing expertise, offers access to the high-quality Paradigm Orthopedic & Spine Network, and empowers patient engagement and health literacy in the intricate field of musculoskeletal injuries.
• We introduced a new Retrospective DME program that delivers savings through repricing capabilities that reduce leakage. Through our comprehensive DME offering, we now deliver maximum cost savings through both prospective and retrospective referrals.
• For decades, Paradigm has led the industry in promoting a whole-person, whole-family approach to managing care. We expanded our behavioral health capabilities with Paradigm’s Behavioral Health Clinical Management solution. As underscored in this Business Insurance article, this time-based, fixed-price, non-risk-bearing solution addresses behavioral health challenges to reduce recovery time, alleviate injury-related costs, and improve caregiver challenges.

Thought leadership presence
We continued to lead impactful conversations and collaborate with workers’ compensation experts at key industry events, including WCI 2023 and National Comp 2023. Notable conversations and presentations included:

• Dr. Michael Choo, Chief Medical Officer, Workers’ Compensation, joined a panel at WCI on value-based, outcome-driven care in workers’ compensation. The session, “Fortune Favors the Bold: Utilizing Value-Based Care in Workers’ Compensation,” explored the definition of value-based care as achieving the best health outcomes for the money spent on care.
• Shannon Ford, Senior Vice President, Case Management Solutions, participated in a panel at the annual WCI Conference that emphasized the pivotal role of interdisciplinary communication in driving superior outcomes. This discourse, elaborated in a featured WorkCompWire piece, emphasizes our dedication to holistic and impactful solutions in the ever-evolving landscape of workers’ compensation and health care.
• During National Comp, Elizabeth Ulloa Lowry, Senior Vice President of Risk Solutions, and David Lupinsky, Vice President of Clinical Product Solutions, joined representatives from Gradient AI in a discussion on the emerging ramifications of artificial intelligence (AI) on workers’ compensation and claims administration.
• Kathy Galia, Chief Clinical Solutions Officer, joined leaders from The Hartford and ODG by MCG, in a panel on the importance of addressing behavioral health concerns for better outcomes in physical injuries and conditions.
• Jason Cooper, Chief Technology Officer, was honored with two invitations to interview with AIM Research as part of their CDO Insights series. In these interviews, Jason shared his expertise on the evolution of technology in the health care sector, the role of data privacy, the future of AI and machine learning in health care and explored the delicate balance in using AI for workers’ compensation management.

We were thankful to once again offer educational forums in more focused settings at our 2023 Catastrophic Clinical Summit and 12th annual Innovation Symposium. These events afford us the incredible opportunity for close collaboration, thought-provoking speaking sessions, engaging workshops, and continuing education opportunities that highlight our unwavering focus on education, training, and commitment to collaboration, excellence, and quality outcomes.

Paradigm furthered its educational mission by offering new insights and learning opportunities on key clinical topics. This was highlighted during an in-depth CEU webinar, Patient Engagement: It’s More Than an App, focused on the importance of patient engagement, health literacy, and shared decision-making in improving the patient experience.

Alexander’s story—a hero’s journey
In October, we were immensely proud to share our latest HERO video featuring Alexander and his wife Licia. After falling 35 feet from a collapsing roof, Alexander sustained a life-threatening brain injury and multiple trauma. A team of clinical experts —including specialists in brain injury, orthopedic trauma, and facial reconstruction—worked to coordinate Alexander’s HERO Catastrophic^® Outcome Plan with a curated network of providers for his diagnosis and treatment.

Alexander’s determination, alongside our human-centered, outcomes-driven approach, allowed him to make a remarkable recovery and return to his family and intellectually rigorous work. We are extremely grateful to Alexander and his family for sharing their story with us.

Awards and recognition
In April, representatives from Paradigm attended the Annual Scientific Meeting for the American Spinal Cord Injury Association (ASIA). Dedicated to advancing the field of spinal cord injury care, education, and research, ASIA is the premier North American organization for this important field.

At this year’s 50th Anniversary meeting, Paradigm Medical Director Kenneth Parsons, MD was especially honored to receive the ASIA Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his significant contributions to the field.

In July, Jason Cooper was recognized by AIM Research as one of the 100 Most Influential AI Leaders for his achievements in advancing analytics. The work that he and his team have done to enhance efficiencies and provide invaluable data intelligence and insights has made a significant impact at Paradigm.

Transforming lives with Kids’ Chance of America
For more than 12 years, Paradigm has collaborated closely with our core philanthropic partner, Kids’ Chance of America (KCoA). 2023 saw continued growth in our employees’ participation. Our Kids’ Chance Community Team, which participates on either the national or state level, grew to include 28 individuals spanning 15 states, as well as national representation, with several members serving on the Board of Directors in their respective states.

An integral part of our involvement this year included bridging the gap with KCoA to identify eligible children for the Planning for the Future initiative. We began by spreading awareness that, whether a child is an infant, senior in high school, or currently in college, everyone is eligible. We’ve seen great success in building a pipeline and we’re proud to share that Paradigm is responsible for 30% of all referrals in 2023.

Setting the stage for success in 2024
As we look back on 2023, we are filled with gratitude for the indispensable contributions of our dedicated teams, clients, and partners and the pivotal roles they have played in furthering our mission. In 2024, we are in an excellent position to continue transforming the lives of injured workers, patients, and their families.

Learn more about Paradigm, our dedicated and highly experienced team, and our commitment to improving as many lives as possible.