Independent Medical Evaluations – Partnering with the Best Firm

 

Independent medical evaluations, or IMEs, are necessary to determine the cause, extent and treatment of an injury where liability is at issue. These examinations can also be useful in assessing whether an individual has garnered maximum benefit from his or her treatment, or whether any permanent impairment remains after treatment has been completed.

 

Independent Medical Evaluations can be conducted at the request of an employer or an insurance carrier, and are used to obtain an independent opinion about the medical status of an individual. Workers' compensation insurance carriers, auto insurance carriers, and self-insured employers have a legal right to carry out this type of examination.

 

IMEs have diverse areas of focus. These evaluations may be conducted by a number of different specialists, including orthopedic surgeons, psychiatrists, psychologists, rheumatologists, general practitioner physicians, neurologists, physiotherapists, dentists, and chiropractors. As well as evaluating the medical status of the individual, IMEs can focus on how to accommodate the employee in order to return him or her to the original task, or to another position. These IMEs may be classified as vocational or ergonomic.

 

 

Medical assessment companies specialize in providing Independent Medical Evaluations, which must be precisely reported, and legally defensible. Many organizations call on companies like this after an injury occurs. However, there is a great deal of benefit that can be derived from partnering with a medical assessment firm before an injury claim becomes necessary. Better firms offer many other services that can help to protect your workplace and maximize efficiency.

 

 

21st century managers know that the personal problems of employees can spill over into the workplace, having a negative impact on morale, productivity, and client relations. Some medical assessment firms provide Employee Assistance Plans, or EAPs. An EAP offers fast, professional, and confidential counseling for employees that may be struggling with issues such as drug and alcohol dependence, marital discord, elder care, or grief.

 

An employer may choose to hold onsite clinics, and some medical assessment firms are able to set these up. These events may centre on prevention, such as fall flu clinics, which have been shown to reduce employee absences during flu season, or on screening for high blood pressure and cholesterol. Identifying employees who suffer from either of the latter two problems may even save their lives, as treating these "silent killers” can prevent heart attacks and strokes. Finally, employers may also choose to screen for drug and alcohol abuse. Getting help for these individuals can prevent personal tragedy and ameliorate negative workplace impacts.

 

 

Contact a reputable medical assessment company today, and discuss what a partnership can do for your organization. Partnering can be good for your employees, and good for the bottom line!