Managing Disability - Why not leave it up to the GP?
Posted by Mike Crone on Fri, Oct 30, 2009 @ 01:48 PM
While its difficult for the layperson to second guess a General Practitioner's (GP) care of an injured employee, it makes sense to retain an Occupational Physician to provide general oversight and ensure that the GP is accountable to the overall disability claims management objectives of the Employer.
A few cautions ....
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GPs do not receive adequate formal training in occupational medicine. As a result GPs do not understand Modified Work concepts and the underlying importance of Modified Work as part of the medical treatment plan to successful full return to work outcomes.
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The GP is and should be a patient advocate first. As a consequence, Physicians tend to leave/entrust Modified Work and full return to work decisions to the employee.
- GPs work under tremendous time constraints.
- GPs are frustrated with wait lists for testing, specialist referral, surgeries and treatment protocols under the current Health Care system. As a result, they are deferring more to the Workers' Comp. Insurer and Private Insurance Carriers hoping that they can better expedite medical interventions.
- GPs tend to exhaust conservative treatments such as rest, physiotherapy and rehabilitation rather than expediting testing and other proactive interventions.
- GPs do not fully appreciate the financial impact of disability on employers or on the Health Care system. GPs will approve $15,000.00 Graduated Return to Work rehabilitation programs with questionable outcomes but will defer a $ 700.00 back MRI due to cost concerns.
- Due to the shortage of Psychiatrists in the health care system, GPs are being relied upon to provide diagnosis and treatment of Mental Health illness which they are unqualified to do.