Mitchell International, Inc., a provider of information, workflow, and performance management solutions to the property/casualty claims and collision repair industries, has announced the formation of the SmartAdvisor Customer Advisory Council (CAC).

CAC is a collaborative forum where customer insights into business requirements and technology needs will be applied to the creation of medical bill review solutions. The SmartAdvisor CAC will hold its inaugural meeting in conjunction with the Mitchell Property & Casualty Conference March 7 to 10, 2010, in San Diego, Calif.

CAC member Paula S. Woolworth of GAB Robins says, "The SmartAdvisor CAC offers an opportunity to exchange ideas and best practices and network with peers in the medical claims management marketplace. We are pleased to participate in a collaborative forum that allows us to influence directly medical review software product development that will positively influence the industry as a whole."

The council's founding members feature claims executives, third-party administrators, and state funds, including EMC Insurance, GAB Robins/MedInsights, Intracorp, Liberty Mutual, Paradigm Management Services, Texas Mutual, the City of San Jose, and Zurich Insurance. The CAC will convene three times per year, generating ideas and offering guidance that will help SmartAdvisor continue its role as the leading medical claim-cost containment solution that helps payers of workers' compensation claims evaluate and settle claims faster and more accurately.

"The CAC will enable us to understand what is required to continue to bring value and innovation to our customers' operations," says Nina Smith, senior vice president and general manager of Mitchell's SmartAdvisors solutions division. "Through close interaction and partnership, the CAC will facilitate discussions about industry trends, business challenges, and business requirements, turning the most influential ideas into recommendations for strategies and actions by Mitchell."