How it All Started

A Trusted Resource in Workers’ Compensation Since 2004

OM was founded in 2004 to bridge a gap in workers’ compensation. Employers needed doctors they could trust to care for injured employees and understand the realities of workers’ compensation. At the same time, many doctors wanted to treat injured workers but did not fully understand employer expectations, claim requirements, or what it takes to build a successful workers’ compensation program. OM was created to bring those two sides together.

From the beginning, our work focused on helping employers, adjusters, case managers, risk managers, and attorneys find doctors who deliver strong care, communicate clearly, and understand the workers’ compensation process. At the same time, we worked closely with doctors to help them understand the needs of employers and claims professionals, including documentation, timelines, communication, and coordination, so their workers’ compensation programs could succeed.

Over time, OM built strong relationships across the industry and developed a trusted panel of doctors known for quality outcomes, reliability, and patient first care. These doctors understand that workers’ compensation is not just about treatment. It is about coordination, accountability, and supporting injured employees through recovery and return to work in a safe and appropriate way.

As OM grew, it became clear that experience alone was not enough. Doctors and their teams needed a deeper understanding of the workers’ compensation system itself. In 2010, OM introduced the WorkCompReady™ Certification to ensure that the doctors we represent understand best practices, required forms, documentation, and timelines. The certification was created to support better communication, fewer delays, and stronger alignment between all parties involved in a claim.

That same year, OM launched the first OM Directory to give employers and claims professionals a reliable way to identify doctors who meet these standards. Originally offered in print and later expanded online, the directory was built to remove guesswork and make it easier to find doctors who understand both patient care and employer needs.

In 2011, OM introduced the Bloom Awards, formerly known as the IN TOUCH Awards, to recognize excellence, leadership, and dedication within the workers’ compensation community. For fourteen years, the awards honored adjusters, nurses, risk managers, doctors, and industry leaders who consistently went above and beyond. In 2025, OM made the decision to sunset the Bloom Awards. While not an easy decision, it marked the natural close of an important chapter. The awards fulfilled their purpose, and the professionals they recognized will always remain part of our story.

In 2021, OM expanded its work with the launch of Bloom Magazine and the Bloom Community, created for women working in workers’ compensation, risk management, insurance, and healthcare. As the community evolved, so did its focus. In 2026, Bloom rebranded to Oléa, becoming OM’s corporate wellness branch. This shift reflects a broader commitment to wellness, leadership, and long term sustainability for professionals and organizations. As part of this evolution, Bloom Magazine was rebranded as OM Magazine, aligning it more closely with OM’s core mission and professional audience.

In 2022, OM introduced the Best Doctors in Workers’ Compensation list, published each August. This recognition highlights doctors who consistently demonstrate high standards of care, strong communication, and reliability, and who have earned the trust of employers and claims professionals throughout the industry.

In 2026, OM introduced the OM Center of Excellence COE Designation, the first national designation of its kind focused on setting a clear standard for high quality care for injured workers, with patient care at the center of everything we do. The COE Designation recognizes medical practices that demonstrate strong administrative structure, effective care coordination, and measurable results, while consistently putting patients first.

The COE Designation was developed through a formal and structured process governed by an Independent COE Oversight Committee. This committee led the development of the standards, evaluation criteria, and oversight framework with participation from experienced clinical professionals and industry experts representing multiple disciplines involved in the care and management of injured workers. This governance model ensures that COE standards are objective, clearly defined, and aligned with nationally recognized best practices, and that they are not created, interpreted, or applied solely by OM.

The designation recognizes practices that provide timely access to appropriate care, maintain accurate and consistent documentation, and support effective communication among all parties involved in an injured worker’s care, while fully respecting physician autonomy and individualized clinical judgment. It reflects a measurable commitment to operational integrity, continuity of care, and outcomes that support safe return to work when medically appropriate.

Today, OM continues to serve as the bridge it was built to be. We help employers and claims professionals find the best doctors for their injured employees. We help doctors understand employer needs and the workers’ compensation process so they can build strong and successful workers’ compensation programs.

That’s what OM stands for. That’s what makes our doctors exceptional and that’s what we will always deliver.