Newsline No. 24-09
April 27, 2009
EAMS recognized by Computer world Honors Program
The Division of Workers’ Compensation’s Electronic Adjudication Management System (EAMS) has won recognition from the
Computerworld Honors Program, which was established to recognize the achievements of men, women, organizations and institutions around
the world whose visionary applications of information technology promote positive social, economic and educational change.
EAMS was named a Computerworld Honors Laureate for 2009 for integrating DWC’s court, and many of its administrative functions, into a
seamless case management system.
“We are honored to be recognized for our efforts to bring our disparate units together and modernize the workers’ compensation court
system,” said John Duncan , Department of Industrial Relations director. “While EAMS is still in its infancy, we are beginning to see how
this technology will improve our service. We expect to make great strides in the coming months as this system evolves to better meet our
needs and those of our constituents.”
The Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) is the DWC’s parent agency and DIR’s Information Systems Unit partnered with DWC to
implement EAMS.
“Each year, the Computerworld Honors Program seeks to recognize organizations, from a variety of sectors, for their ongoing efforts to
utilize technology in order to benefit society,” said Ron Milton, Chairman of the Board of Trustees for the Computerworld Information
Technology Awards Foundation and Executive Vice President of Computerworld. “We are proud to provide a platform to publicly
acknowledge these contributions.”
EAMS was developed using “off the shelf” software components, which were integrated to provide a seamless case management process for
different, but interrelated units of the workers’ compensation system. Before EAMS, each of these units (adjudication, disability evaluation,
retraining and return to work, the Uninsured Employers Benefits Trust Fund and the Subsequent Injuries Benefits Trust Fund) had its own
database and filing system, resulting in redundant data entry, multiple paper case files and information that was not uniformly updated. After
EAMS, all these units share one electronic version of the case file and information about the injured worker, the employer, the claims
administrator and associated representatives in a case is entered only once. A number of functions—such as file creation, case file transfer,
storage and retrieval—were automated through EAMS.
And while EAMS, which went live for DWC employees in August of 2008, is primarily an internal case management system, it also allows
external users to file forms and documents over the Web. Some 200 user locations are currently filing all their forms and documents
electronically using e-forms, and access for external users will expand over time.
Improvements are continually being made to EAMS to increase efficiency and extend access to external users. Current plans include:
Allowing parties to the case extended hours for electronic filing and access to the case file
Allowing filers to process their documents in a peer to peer electronic process, reducing the number of transactions
Equipping district offices to allow greater access to EAMS
Integrating the DWC Medical Unit into EAMS.
About the award:
Founded by International Data Group (IDG) in 1988, the Computerworld Honors Program is governed by the not-for-profit Computerworld
Information Technology Awards Foundation. Computerworld Honors is in its 21st year honoring individuals and organizations that use
information technology to benefit society.
The 21st Annual Laureates Medal Ceremony & Gala Awards Evening will take place on June 1 at the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium in
Washington , D.C.
Find EAMS information on the Web at www.dwc.ca.gov/eams
EAMS project timeline
· 2003: RAND researchers recommend reform
· 2003: Feasibility study report (FSR) development
· 2004: FSR approval
· 2005: Request for proposal (RFP) bidding process begins
· 2006: Special project report (SPR) establishes schedule and costs
· 2006: Contract awarded to Deloitte
· August 2008: EAMS goes live at all DWC district offices and HQ
· 2009: EAMS access expands for case participants
Before and after EAMS
· Before EAMS: The paper case file is needed for any review of case information, which means only one person at a time can access the file
· After EAMS: Multiple users in multiple locations can simultaneously access the case file. For example, a disability rater in Oakland and a
supervisor in Van Nuys can simultaneously review and make decisions on a case
· Before EAMS: The judge in each DWC district office courtroom needs the paper case file in hand to adjudicate a case
· After EAMS: DWC courtrooms are equipped with computers to allow judges and case participants access to EAMS
· Before EAMS: Paper case files are housed in a single location, whether a DWC district office or the State Records Center , and it takes
time to retrieve and physically transport the file
· After EAMS: Case file is electronic and accessible instantly by anyone needing it
· Before EAMS: Case files can comprise hundreds of sheets of paper and are heavy and difficult to move
· After EAMS: Case file is electronic and requires no lifting or postage to transport
· Before EAMS: Each DWC district office has a single calendar book for court cases, and only one employee in that office can use it at any
time
· After EAMS: Any DWC employee can look up any court calendar electronically in EAMS
· Before EAMS: Case participants have to go to a DWC district office to see case documents
· After EAMS: Case participants in the e-forms trial can view documents on line in EAMS
· Before EAMS: Printing checks for injured workers receiving benefits from the Uninsured Employers Benefits Trust Fund or Subsequent
Injuries Benefits Trust Fund takes four hours
· After EAMS: Special fund check printing takes an hour
###
April 27, 2009
EAMS recognized by Computer world Honors Program
The Division of Workers’ Compensation’s Electronic Adjudication Management System (EAMS) has won recognition from the
Computerworld Honors Program, which was established to recognize the achievements of men, women, organizations and institutions around
the world whose visionary applications of information technology promote positive social, economic and educational change.
EAMS was named a Computerworld Honors Laureate for 2009 for integrating DWC’s court, and many of its administrative functions, into a
seamless case management system.
“We are honored to be recognized for our efforts to bring our disparate units together and modernize the workers’ compensation court
system,” said John Duncan , Department of Industrial Relations director. “While EAMS is still in its infancy, we are beginning to see how
this technology will improve our service. We expect to make great strides in the coming months as this system evolves to better meet our
needs and those of our constituents.”
The Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) is the DWC’s parent agency and DIR’s Information Systems Unit partnered with DWC to
implement EAMS.
“Each year, the Computerworld Honors Program seeks to recognize organizations, from a variety of sectors, for their ongoing efforts to
utilize technology in order to benefit society,” said Ron Milton, Chairman of the Board of Trustees for the Computerworld Information
Technology Awards Foundation and Executive Vice President of Computerworld. “We are proud to provide a platform to publicly
acknowledge these contributions.”
EAMS was developed using “off the shelf” software components, which were integrated to provide a seamless case management process for
different, but interrelated units of the workers’ compensation system. Before EAMS, each of these units (adjudication, disability evaluation,
retraining and return to work, the Uninsured Employers Benefits Trust Fund and the Subsequent Injuries Benefits Trust Fund) had its own
database and filing system, resulting in redundant data entry, multiple paper case files and information that was not uniformly updated. After
EAMS, all these units share one electronic version of the case file and information about the injured worker, the employer, the claims
administrator and associated representatives in a case is entered only once. A number of functions—such as file creation, case file transfer,
storage and retrieval—were automated through EAMS.
And while EAMS, which went live for DWC employees in August of 2008, is primarily an internal case management system, it also allows
external users to file forms and documents over the Web. Some 200 user locations are currently filing all their forms and documents
electronically using e-forms, and access for external users will expand over time.
Improvements are continually being made to EAMS to increase efficiency and extend access to external users. Current plans include:
Allowing parties to the case extended hours for electronic filing and access to the case file
Allowing filers to process their documents in a peer to peer electronic process, reducing the number of transactions
Equipping district offices to allow greater access to EAMS
Integrating the DWC Medical Unit into EAMS.
About the award:
Founded by International Data Group (IDG) in 1988, the Computerworld Honors Program is governed by the not-for-profit Computerworld
Information Technology Awards Foundation. Computerworld Honors is in its 21st year honoring individuals and organizations that use
information technology to benefit society.
The 21st Annual Laureates Medal Ceremony & Gala Awards Evening will take place on June 1 at the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium in
Washington , D.C.
Find EAMS information on the Web at www.dwc.ca.gov/eams
EAMS project timeline
· 2003: RAND researchers recommend reform
· 2003: Feasibility study report (FSR) development
· 2004: FSR approval
· 2005: Request for proposal (RFP) bidding process begins
· 2006: Special project report (SPR) establishes schedule and costs
· 2006: Contract awarded to Deloitte
· August 2008: EAMS goes live at all DWC district offices and HQ
· 2009: EAMS access expands for case participants
Before and after EAMS
· Before EAMS: The paper case file is needed for any review of case information, which means only one person at a time can access the file
· After EAMS: Multiple users in multiple locations can simultaneously access the case file. For example, a disability rater in Oakland and a
supervisor in Van Nuys can simultaneously review and make decisions on a case
· Before EAMS: The judge in each DWC district office courtroom needs the paper case file in hand to adjudicate a case
· After EAMS: DWC courtrooms are equipped with computers to allow judges and case participants access to EAMS
· Before EAMS: Paper case files are housed in a single location, whether a DWC district office or the State Records Center , and it takes
time to retrieve and physically transport the file
· After EAMS: Case file is electronic and accessible instantly by anyone needing it
· Before EAMS: Case files can comprise hundreds of sheets of paper and are heavy and difficult to move
· After EAMS: Case file is electronic and requires no lifting or postage to transport
· Before EAMS: Each DWC district office has a single calendar book for court cases, and only one employee in that office can use it at any
time
· After EAMS: Any DWC employee can look up any court calendar electronically in EAMS
· Before EAMS: Case participants have to go to a DWC district office to see case documents
· After EAMS: Case participants in the e-forms trial can view documents on line in EAMS
· Before EAMS: Printing checks for injured workers receiving benefits from the Uninsured Employers Benefits Trust Fund or Subsequent
Injuries Benefits Trust Fund takes four hours
· After EAMS: Special fund check printing takes an hour
###
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