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Injured Worker Support Websites
There was an unexpected outcome from my last post about Medical Panels. There were comments about whether a particular injured worker support site really represented injured workers and achieved the goal of empowerment for injured workers. On the one hand it was argued that … Continue reading
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Update on Panels Panels Panels Oi! Oi! Oi!
Since my earlier article Panels Panels Panels Oi! Oi! Oi! there have been some developments with the SA Government proposing the abolition of Medical Panels in that state, but I am yet to see anything to persuade me that properly constituted … Continue reading
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My Queensland Experience – Implications for National Impairment Guidelines
I recently have had the experience of undertaking an impairment assessment for an unfamiliar interstate jurisdiction – WorkCover in Queensland. While I am familiar with the principles of impairment assessment generally and regularly undertake impairment assessment in other jurisdictions, my … Continue reading
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Tagged impairment assessment, spinal surgery, workers compensation
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PANELS PANELS PANELS OI! OI! OI! – Part 3 of IME’s – the good, the bad & the ugly
(With apologies to Australian Cricket Supporters) This is part 3 of a trilogy about IME’s. Here I put forward ideas about how the system can be improved. In some jurisdictions some of the improvements are already being put in place. There … Continue reading
How big is the Elephant in the Research Room?
A really effective way to annoy a worker on compensation payments (or any worker for that matter) is to not pay them properly. It is even more effective if the worker is already on legislated step-downs in their weekly … Continue reading
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Tagged compensation systems, health outcomes, workers compensation
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IME’s – the good, the bad & the ugly – Part 2 – Current Issues
This is Part 2 of a 3 part series of blogs about Independent Medical Examinations (IME’s). This series is written from my perspective as a doctor treating patients covered by workers compensation or motor accident insurance. While all compensation systems are … Continue reading
Reflections on Medical Decision-Making
I’m working on Part 2 of my blog series about IME Assessments, but have been ‘distracted’ over the last week or two by my involvement in an AMA Tasmania Committee considering issues relating to Tasmania’s Workers’ Compensation and Motor Accident Insurance … Continue reading
IME’s – the good, the bad and the ugly – Part 1- What is an IME?
I know this stuff about definitions and standards is boring, but I need to set this out so you can make sense of what I plan to say about IME’s in the blogs to follow. So please bear with me. … Continue reading
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Tagged IME, workers compensation
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Is There a Crisis of Confidence in IME Assessments?
While I personally have had concerns about the ‘quality’ of many IME assessments for some time, I did not realise how widespread the concerns were about the fairness of such assessments until relatively recently. Injured workers representatives are certainly concerned, … Continue reading
Beware – Risks from use of Independent Doctors for Disability Pensioners
ABC News 24 recently reported: “The Federal Government is considering using independent doctors to examine disability pensioners and assess whether they should continue to receive payments.” While this idea sounds attractive, it is important to consider how systems that currently … Continue reading
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Insult and Injury 