It’s fitting that CareWorks MCO’s President and COO Dennis Duchene grew up in Dayton and attended the University of Dayton, considering the Flyer he would become personally and professionally.
The University of Dayton Flyer graduated with a B.S. in Business Administration. And now, like a couple of famous brothers who also lived in Dayton, he flies, too, as an instrument-rated private pilot.
Outside work, Duchene says, family is his number one priority, with flying, golf and travel ranking as his favorite pastimes.
At work, it was the lure of financial and operational leadership roles with increasing responsibilities that took him from the start of his career at Arthur Andersen to CareWorks, a Managed Care Organization (MCO), which acts as the main link between injured workers, medical providers, employers and the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC). From the CFO’s position, he was promoted to president and COO when the opportunity arose.
“My reason for coming to CareWorks had everything to do with the leadership team within the CareWorks family of companies and the top reputation CareWorks holds within the community,” Duchene says. “Without hesitation the most satisfying part of my job is working with the bright and experienced operations team in the CareWorks MCO.”
Duchene appreciates the legacy of tenured leaders the company has grown.
“CareWorks’ senior management team members have been with the company since its creation and there are no obstacles this team can’t overcome to consistently develop solutions that produce positive outcomes for injured workers, employers, [medical] providers and the BWC,” Duchene says.
That’s important because being hurt on the job is life interruption that no one wants to happen.
To that end, Duchene would like to see employers better understand the value of what their MCOs do: from quickly making the injury report and devising a treatment plan, to paying the bills in a timely manner and getting the employee back to work—if only to perform less rigorous duty—all to keep the injured employee engaged in the healthy routine of going to work.
“I wish employers knew how much of an impact a strong MCO can have on the well-being, health and productivity of their employees,” Duchene says. “CareWorks treats each claim uniquely and consistently strives to make a positive impression on the lives we touch each day.”