Building on a Strong Foundation

By Sarah Scott, President and CEO, CorVel 

Twenty-six years ago, when I was a nurse case manager here at CorVel, I would wait around for a fax or sometimes a medical record that arrived by mail. I’d sit with a stack of paper trying to piece together what had happened to someone I’d never met and figure out what they needed next. Today, an employee takes a picture of a form in the break room, and it lands in an adjuster’s queue before I could even make it to the fax machine.

The tools have changed dramatically. What injured workers need from us hasn’t.

I’ve spent nearly my entire career growing with CorVel, serving in roles across case management, account management, and product leadership. I never planned those roles as a path to becoming CEO. In every one of them, I asked myself the same question: How can I make a meaningful difference today? That’s the mindset I’ll continue bringing to this role.

This path has given me a deep understanding of our business, our clients, our people, and the technology that connects them.

On July 1, I became CorVel’s President and CEO.

My predecessor, Michael Combs, built something durable: a strong financial foundation, a culture centered on our people, and lasting client partnerships. My responsibility is to build on that foundation, not replace it. As I begin this next chapter, three priorities will guide my leadership.

The first is technology, specifically how AI earns its place in a claims professional’s day. The best technology organizes information and highlights what matters so people can make better decisions. Our claims and clinical professionals bring judgment, empathy, and expertise. Technology should strengthen their work, not replace it.

The second is culture. CorVel has always been defined by an entrepreneurial spirit, a willingness to solve problems creatively, and a commitment to listening to our clients and one another. Those qualities have shaped our success, and they’ll continue to shape our future.

The third is our people because technology alone doesn’t improve outcomes. People do. Developing the next generation of leaders is one of my highest priorities because the work itself has changed.

Twenty-six years ago, a case manager might have carried fifty or sixty files, and maybe half of those were genuinely complicated. The rest were relatively straightforward. Today, nearly every claim demands real attention. Claims professionals are coordinating multiple providers, recognizing behavioral health concerns, identifying psychosocial risk factors early, and navigating increasingly complex recoveries. The first 24 hours after an injury still set the course for everything that follows, but what we can do during that time has grown enormously.

That’s why investing in people is just as important as investing in technology. My vision for CorVel isn’t about chasing the latest technology trend. It’s about bringing together clinical expertise, operational excellence, and intelligent technology so our people can make better decisions, achieve better outcomes for injured workers, and create greater value for our clients.

Over the coming months, I’ll use this space to share more about each of these priorities and what they mean for our clients, our employees, and the future of CorVel.

When I think back to those days waiting on faxes and paper records, I’m reminded that while the tools have changed dramatically, our purpose hasn’t. We’re still here to help people through some of the most difficult moments of their lives. My commitment is to build on the foundation that has made CorVel successful while giving our people the technology, support, and leadership they need to continue making a meaningful difference every day.

President and CEO, CorVel