Post office work comp form

[ERMudPhud]

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Anybody had to fill out the form the post office sends in for work related injuries? 3 pages full of little numbered and lettered boxes. It looked like an IRS form. You have to estimate how much time each day they can spend doing all kinds of different activities and answere a ton of other questions. I especially liked the box that said something to the effect of "Does the patient have a neuropsychiatric condition that would cause them to have difficulty responding to authority or interacting with co-workers" i.e. Are they likely to go postal.

 

[edinOH]

I had one of those forms a couple of months ago. I just filled out the three or four areas I thought were relevant and left the rest blank.

I figured that I work for the patient, not the post office. If they want that kind of evaluation they can send him to occupational health.

 

[kungfufishing]

Just write in "disability for pt and work excuse X 2 weeks for homies accompanying to hospital".

 

[GeneralVeers]

Are we required by law to fill these things out? I always have patients who come to the ED demanding that I fill out some sort of form for work, disability, etc.

Shouldn't this be the job of their family doctor?

 

[TysonCook]

I don't. I fill out the one or two lines that might be needed, and tell the patient they will need to see their normal PCP for the rest because it is not an emergency. I 100% refuse to do any disability forms, state forms etc.

 

[limabean]

I never fill out those forms in the ED. It is difficult to make a prediction during an acute injury about there long term prognosis, especially when that is not our area of expertise. I have them take the form to there follow up evaluation. And even then most PCP/specialty docs won't fill out the form on the spot, they often will have to drop if off and the docs will have them pick it up in a certain time frame. Expecting us to take time out during a busy ED shift with sick patients to fill out nonemergent paper work for patients we are just meeting once and will not follow is not appropriate in my opinion.

 

[Dr.Evil1]

I refer my patients to occupational health clinic to fill out forms etc.

I usually give my patients a work excuse for 2 (or 3 days if it is over the weekend) and have them follow-up with occupational health otherwise. Unless there is some specific injury that would prevent them from doing a specific task then I just write "as limited by symptoms" on the restrictions line. I don't know if this is the best practice but I figure it allows the company and the individual to reach a compromise with what work they can actually do while injured.