Megan Barker

Picture it. Weeks in hospital. Surgery. Recovery. The long, disorienting stretch of time when everything you knew about your day - your routine, your role, your sense of self - has been paused. And then you're discharged. You're going home. For so many injured workers, that moment should feel like relief. Like the beginning of the road back. But too often, it feels like something else entirely. The door opens. The house is quiet. The fridge is empty. The phone doesn't ring. And the silence...

Every year, thousands of leaders in workers’ compensation gather at National Comp to share insights, shape policy, and set the direction for the industry.

The workers’ compensation industry has long been focused on logistics: claims processing, medical networks, return-to-work timelines. All important pieces. But what often gets overlooked is what happens in between