BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- A new Liberty Mutual webinar highlights how the growing use of powerful narcotics in treating work-related lower back pain results in longer recovery times and higher treatment costs for injured workers. The webinar reviews these impacts - along with the pros and cons of narcotic prescribing and the medical guidelines governing their use - so that risk and benefit managers can better protect workers and their bottom line.

The webinar is available at www.libertymutualgroup.com/wcpharmacy.

"Several of the powerful narcotics originally developed to treat terminal cancer have become widely prescribed for low back pain, one of the most expensive workers compensation and group disability injuries to treat," explains Dr. David Deitz, Liberty Mutual's National Medical Director, who leads a team of nine doctors. "But too often these painkillers harm rather than help disabled workers."

During the first part of the webinar, Barbara Webster, a Research Scientist at the Liberty Mutual Research Institute for Safety, reviews two Liberty Mutual studies documenting the negative impacts and geographic variability of treating work-related low back pain with narcotics. In the second half, Dr. Constantine Gean, a Liberty Mutual Regional Medical Director, uses three case studies to highlight the best practices for managing narcotic use in work-related injuries.

Highlights from the webinar include:

• Medical providers prescribe narcotics well beyond accepted medical guidelines, rather than reserve narcotic use for only the most severe cases
• Data illustrate the clear association between early narcotic prescribing and negative medical outcomes for disabled workers. This suggests that more intensive use of narcotics may delay recovery
• Higher amounts of narcotics in treating acute work-related low back pain cause injured workers to:
  
  
  • Be away from work longer (up to 69 days longer)
  • Have higher medical costs
  • Be three-times more likely to have surgery
  • Have a six-times greater chance of using narcotics beyond the recommended time limited course
• There are big differences in how often doctors in different states prescribe narcotics for acute low back pain, and the severity of pain does not fully account for this variation

• Functional Recovery Programs have been shown to improve the functional status of disabled workers and to lower ongoing treatment costs. High quality providers offering such programs bring together a range of medical, psychological and occupational experts to treat work-related chronic pain

Risk and benefits professionals can see more information on the Liberty Mutual studies and best practices at www.libertymutualgroup.com/wcpharmacy


About Liberty Mutual Group

Boston-based Liberty Mutual Group is a diversified global insurer and fifth largest property and casualty insurer in the U.S. based on 2008 direct written premium. The Company also ranks 86th on the Fortune 500 list of largest corporations in the U.S. based on 2008 revenue. As of December 31, 2008, Liberty Mutual Group had $104.3 billion in consolidated assets, $94.2 billion in consolidated liabilities, and $28.9 billion in annual consolidated revenue.

Liberty Mutual Group offers a wide range of insurance products and services, including personal automobile, homeowners, workers compensation, commercial multiple peril, commercial automobile, general liability, global specialty, group disability, assumed reinsurance, fire, and surety.

Liberty Mutual Group (http://www.libertymutualgroup.com) employs over 45,000 people in more than 900 offices throughout the world.

Liberty Mutual Group

Richard Angevine, 617-574-6638



Source: Liberty Mutual Group