IME question

[BuckeyeLove]

I know we have some folks on here who do IME work. Figured I'd throw this out here: I've been in contact by a few agencies wanting me to contract for them doing them, as well as my best friend who is a labor attorney and been trying to get me involved with them for years. Initially wasn't thinking about considering it (largely due to the fact that i don't like testifying without a judge in the room), but I'm starting to get a bit more curious. For those who do them regularly (Wis i know this is a big part of your practice as it stands currently), what are some things i should consider? Resources to take a look at? Anything really at all to think about before getting involved with them?

As always, any thoughts are so much appreciated.

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[WisNeuro]

I think it depends on your background and the kind of IMEs you're going to be doing. At least for my local and surrounding states IME work, it's almost all exclusively TBI work. So, it's an area that I have a lot of clinical experience in, with many TBI rotations across varying severity levels, as well as the research. I also have published in PTSD and in PVT/SVT arenas, so I feel confident tackling those as well. So, first things first, do you have experience in the clinical populations that you'd be assessing.

As far as the agencies who manage IMEs, make sure you get some recommendations. Some are very good and very easy to deal with, some are....less so.

Just a couple quick things to consider from a more broad perspective. To get a lay of the land locally, definitely recommend finding a trusted colleague in your area and taking them out for dinner and drinks to have a convo about the state of things and their experiences.

 

[PsyDr]

1) Know which edition of the Guides to Permanent Impairment your state has codified into law. This is the rules of the game. Learn this thing like the back of your hand.
2) Read the AMA's Return to Work Guidelines, and the AMA's Guides to Causation.