Need help/suggestions regarding making decisions on temporary/perm disability

[HPain]

Hello Everyone...I recently started working in a private practice setting. I am doing interventional pain/spine and sometimes I get patients who only come to me to fill out there paperwork related to disability ( temp or permanent). During residency/fellowship was not really exposed to this kind of stuff , so I am having trouble approaching this stuff in systematic manner....Can anyone suggest me any chapter or any material which I can read and approach this issue more systematically...Will appreciate everyones input.
Thanks and Regards

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[PMR 4 MSK]

Only fill out what you know.

How long can the patient sit? Subjective.
How long can the patient stand? Subjective.
How much can he lift? Don't know, I have no formal testing.

How often will the patient be absent from work on an occasional basis? Let me get out my crystal ball.

 

[lobelsteve]

Answer most questions unknown.
Recommend FCE to determine actual abilities.

Do not fill out dates of visits and exam data, just report see notes.

If restriction and limitations are felt by you to exist, keep it in terms of Dept of Labor category.

Sedentary- office work
Light- restaurant work
Medium- retail with loading/uinloading responsibilities, landscaping
Heavy- Military, construction, UPS

 

[HPain]

Thanks a lot, appreciate inputs from both of you !!

 

[Jitter Bug]

there's a really long thread on this under the Pain Medicine forum titled "can you put me on work restrictions?" give it a look, I think some of the post may be helpful.