For Laura Pannell, a career in healthcare meant she could help people doing something that truly made a difference.

But when she began in the world of workers’ compensation case management, Laura felt constrained by red tape. “It was infuriating,” she remembered.

One of the accounts Laura supervised also worked with Dr. Melissa Tonn, founder and CEO of OccMD, who served as the medical director for the client’s Texas injury benefit program. Dr. Tonn came to Laura’s offices to present continuing education trainings with the group, and Laura’s interest was captured: “I was intrigued,” she said, “and when I heard OccMD was hiring, I jumped at the chance to work with her.”

That was 16 years ago, and Laura has flourished at OccMD. “At OccMD, we have the desire and flexibility to be creative and find new ways to meet the unique needs of our injured workers,” she said.

Laura also thrives on the continuing education she receives as a member of the OccMD staff. “One of the most satisfying parts is we’re continually learning,” Laura said. “I’ve been doing case management for more than 20 years now, and there’s always something new to learn or do to help someone.”

Laura has grown in her career at OccMD from being one of the first nurse case managers hired by Dr. Tonn to becoming one of the key leaders in the company, where she trains most of the other OccMD nurse case managers.

“One of the most important things we can do is give the injured worker a voice,” Laura said. “We validate them and make sure they know what’s going on. We are honest and forthcoming and address their concerns.” Ensuring injured workers understand their injury benefit plan or workers’ compensation benefits and the process helps them be more confident in either staying at work or recovering more quickly.

“Laura has a solid understanding of her role and is very self-sufficient,” noted Diane Holliday, chief operations officer for OccMD. “Her clients trust her and are appreciative of her expertise and dedication to their injured workers.”

In her free time, Laura loves spending time with her five grandchildren, watching movies with her husband, reading mystery novels and going out with friends.