5 Questions with CorVel’s Mark Bertels

Thought Leaders

Mark Bertels is CorVel's Executive Vice President of Risk Managment. We were fortunate to borrow a little of Mark's time and get his insight on claims and quality claims handling.

Q. How would you define "claims excellence" and what makes claims excellence happen?  

Mark Bertels: Claims excellence can be defined as the consistent achievement of optimal outcomes for all stakeholders—injured employees, employers, and insurers—through the seamless integration of expertise, empathy, and efficiency. It is marked by a blend of technical proficiency, timely communication, and a deep commitment to advocacy and service. At its core, claims excellence thrives when organizations foster a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and innovation, ensuring that every claim is managed with both rigor and compassion. Success in this realm is not simply the result of following established protocols, but rather the culmination of investing in talent, embracing technology thoughtfully, and maintaining a relentless focus on the injured worker's journey. 

This is central to the ongoing transformation and success of risk management, especially in a time where organizations face ongoing operational pressures, increasing claims complexity, and evolving expectations from employees, providers, and industry stakeholders. Claims excellence happens when metrics, compliance standards, and operational efficiency align to provide real-time insights that create better outcomes for injured workers and measure value for organizations at large, supported by continuous learning, coaching, and leadership development that make excellence both sustainable and adaptable over time.  

Q. Claims management has evolved over time. How would you describe the shift for forward-thinking organizations? 

MB: For forward-thinking organizations, claims management has shifted from a reactive model to a more proactive, prevention-focused model, enabled by digital transformation and the rapid advancement and adoption of technology such as AI, integrated workflows and automation tools, return-to-work tracking, and Generative AI. Today, there is a greater emphasis on empowering claims professionals and operational supervisors with the right tools, advanced training, and improved processes. Equally important, this evolution emphasizes continuous learning and professional development, ensuring claims teams can adapt quickly and grow alongside the tools they use. In turn, this helps reduce the time spent on repetitive and low-value tasks, improves overall efficiency, and enables claims professionals to focus more on high-impact activities, such as injured worker engagement and more timely resolution.  

Q. How can organizations empower claims professionals to focus on high-impact activities like injured worker engagement and timely resolution? 

MB: There are several steps organizations must take to empower their claims teams to focus on high-impact activities, with investing in supervisor and leadership training as an utmost priority followed closely by the top-down embrace of technology and automation that promotes standardization and process changes. Building on this foundation, organizations should develop comprehensive training programs, host regular roundtable performance reviews, and commit to investments in career advancement pathways for new talent. By doing so, organizations can better equip claims professionals to harness the full capabilities of advanced technology, realize efficiency gains, and focus their time and energy on engaging with injured workers.  

Q. What steps can organizations take to ensure long-term claims excellence? How can these efforts be measured? 

MB: The claims industry is facing workforce shortages, heightened expectations for employee advocacy, increasing claims complexity, and a growing demand for data-backed decision-making. Meeting these challenges requires intentional, long-term strategies. One way to promote claims excellence is through the implementation of standardized operational excellence programs, tracked and benchmarked monthly to ensure continuous improvement. Equally important is hiring with purpose—bringing on claims professionals who are not only specialized in their field but also demonstrate adaptability, innovation, and a commitment to staying ahead of industry trends. When paired with process automation and customer-centric technology adoption, these steps can drive measurable improvements, such as reduced litigation, faster closure rates, and significant cost and time savings. 

Sustaining long-term excellence, however, goes beyond process and technology—it depends on culture. Organizations that foster accountability, transparency, continuous learning, and innovation are best positioned to deliver consistent results. Building this type of culture requires clear operational metrics, investments in leadership and supervisor training, and robust feedback systems that connect local teams with executive oversight. Regular performance reviews reinforce accountability, while roundtable discussions encourage collaboration and shared problem-solving. By measuring progress through both performance outcomes and cultural alignment, organizations can ensure that claims excellence is not only achieved but also sustained. 

Q. How can organizations successfully balance digital transformation (e.g., automation and AI adoption) with maintaining a high-touch, personalized service model for injured employees? 

MB: Organizations that strike this balance successfully are intentional and strategic with their investments, prioritizing their people—both current and future talent—first, followed by technology solutions that support their teams and enhance outcomes for injured workers. Achieving this balance requires a culture that values both high-touch and high-tech interactions, keeping the human element central throughout all processes, whether automated or not. When technology is thoughtfully integrated, it enables claims professionals to spend more time on personalized engagement and proactive support. Combined with a shared vision of claims excellence, this approach enables organizations to deliver a more proactive and tailored claims experience for all parties involved. 

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