With so many changes in our industry, we at PREFERRED are always interested in trends and opportunities to present to our network members.

Recently I had the great pleasure of attending a conference in Denver, Colorado sponsored by DSI Work Solutions, Inc (DSI) a company whose owners, Susan and Dennis Isernhagen have been leaders in our profession and innovators in the work injury management and prevention field.

The conference, entitled “Functional Fitness for Duty” was an energizing two day event, with speakers ranging from employer representatives (General Mills, Weather Shield Manufacturing), Industry consultants, physicians, Risk Managers, and Physical and Occupational Therapists. The topics, which included new programs such as “The Health Number System”, were timely, very well presented and created a great deal of questions from the audience. It was particularly rewarding to visit with so many practitioners who have created a market niche and demonstrate true entrepreneurial and successful advancement in their profession.

Friday evening we were treated to a reception hosted by The Alliance For Physical Therapy: Greater Denver area. Its representatives, Sue Moore, PT and Ted Layne, PT, graciously offered the attendees an opportunity to informally network and re-capture the day’s events.

One thing stood out during my time in Denver: After many years of promotion, discussion, pricing, and value perception it appears that Work Injury Management is finally coming into its own realm. The irony is that there are too few professionals to serve the needs of industry.

But, who knows? Perhaps by the time I attend next year’s DSI conference, all that will have changed. And of course we all know that change is good.