Recently, I had a horrible experience with a Q.M.E. Dr. Fortunatley, I taped the visit and after several weeks requested a copy of the report. He stated that he had spent 2 hours face to face with me when in reality, he only spent 20 minutes. I confided in some one here at the forum, who, sent me this site to file a report ; so I did. I reported that discrepancy as well as the numerous inaccuracies in his findings, including his basing his findings on the meds. I was taking. He stated that they were the problem not my TOS. He had reported my med.s to be considerably higher than I had stated. I wrote in the report that W.C. was welcome if they wanted, to check my refills at the pharmacy I use, to confirm that I wasn't taking that excessive amount of meds.

I know we all recognize that the Dr.'s the insurance companies hire are hacks that make thousands of dollars for declaring us P & S. This guy made $ 4,000.00 on his 20 minute report. Another I saw made $ 12,000.00.

I have decided to let the Workers Compensation Division know about each of the encounters I've had/ have where a Dr. is dishonest in hopes that my efforts will lead to reform.I know, fat chance... but I would still like to encourage each of you to do the same.

My attorney told me that there was recently a report done by the dept. of industrial relations that said that the reforms of 2004 and 2005 were positive and injured workers were receiving quality care and were happy.


Here is the site :http://www.dir.ca.gov

and some additional information as well.

Take care all,
Cala

Subject: California Division of Workers' Compensation posts

California Division of Workers' Compensation posts qualified medical evaluator regulations to online forum for public comment

Published 04-03-2007

Oakland, CA (CompNewsNetwork) - The Division of Workers' Compensation (DWC) has posted
its proposed qualified medical evaluator (QME) regulations to an online forum where members of the public may review and comment on the proposal.
The proposed changes include regulation sections one through 159 of Title 8 of the California Code of Regulations, which govern the examination, appointment, reappointment, evaluation report procedures and disciplinary procedures for physicians who are QMEs.

The forum can be found at http://www.dir.ca.gov/WCJudicial.htm. Please click on "current forums" at the top of the page.

Comments will be accepted at the forum through Apr. 13, 2007. Please feel free to participate in this important process.
Please click here if you do not want to receive mail from viaw.org

* Note-I know it is past the date for this forum, but for those who are interested, there may be other forums you could participate in.

this post got me thinking -
I looked at my state website and found a page where you can look up the IME docs and their specialties and alot of other varied info on the site.

this is the OR page - http://www.wcd.oregon.gov/administra...hysicians.html

OR main comp page-
http://www.cbs.state.or.us/external/wcd/

but all states should have a similar one-
hmmm wish I knew how to find this stuff before or early on during my claim.
the dr I was assigned to see for IME was a ortho hand/surg-- so that is one reason he only focused on doing carpal tunnel tests.
But at the time I saw him I hadn't read anything about TOS yet either - but my dr & I knew it wasn't carpal tunnel!

I thought he had received notes /charts from my dr so I didn't really communicate all my symptoms to him - but I don't think it would have made any difference anyway since he was aware of my prior shoulder injuries and prior bilateral RSI and didn't total up the combined sx to anything. He reported that I was in essence a malingerer - LOL
A malingerer with very high marks on my annual work reviews - how ironic!

I have to confess, I taped my last visit to the Dr. as well. They tell me one thing and then write another in a report! I wasn't sure if I was allowed to tape a visit but I did. I felt better about doing it because I know what was said....

Kudos to you!!

Maybe he included the time spent in the waiting room in that 2 hours

I think/hope there is a special place in hell waiting for the docs who blatantly lie on those exams.

My IME was a joke... the nurse spent more time in the room with me thatn the Dr. like Jo the guy I seen was a hand specialist. They would not let my wife in the room with me, which my attorney ripped me a new one on this all-in-all, these guys basically have your report written before you even cross the threshold and are paid big bucks because they have a way of discrediting the doctor who is treating you!!! in the ten minutes in the room with me he came up with a 7 page reportwhich relates to 1 1/3 pages per minute and if you wre employed by a big corporation where they bleed you dry in post ponments and appeals! All I can say is hang in there and my thoughts go out to you you!!!
Mark~n~Goober

Was recently at a DRs office alone in waiting room with a man in a suit asking me questions about how well my treatment was going with the particular DRS at the practice. I was feeling pretty miserable and said they do the best they can do. He asked me again if they were GOOD DRS. I was getting a little miffed (as I had a horrible headache) I said of course there good DRS I would'nt have traveled this far if they were'nt.
Then I started asking ? who are you? Are you sick? ETC. He said he was an attorney for an ins Company
waiting to do a deposition with one of the DRS there (NOT MY DR) I asked where he was from--- MY AREA NEAR WHERE I LIVE I will be careful here as I told him how I lost my comp case, and how one DR basically assaulted me during the exam and when I told him to stop he would'nt! The attorney said to m3e OH that had to have been DR K. From Gburg, I was really by this time and when I told him what the 2nd IME did he also gave me his name.
I did'nt know what to say except to ask
how do you know this? And he flat out told me that ANY high powered INSURANCE Attorney knows what the DR is going to say on his exam before he ever requests the IME.
I was so Ticked off But I thanked him for the info. And asked him if he went to church or said his prayers, or even believed in a higher power?
At one point I asked his name and he told me the name of the law firm memory no good anymore...
does'nt matter anyway, Bad Judge....cards stacked against me from the beginning at least in this county.
Now at the tail end of a Divorce hubbies attorney is using the fact that I lost w/c case to try to prove nothing wrong with me. Even though I won SSDI. Go figure? My attorney wants to use the fact that I am depressed due to years of living with TOS
as my defense that I am disabled!
WHAT happened to the original DX of TOS that is the disabling condition here?
Thanks for letting me vent I really needed to get this off my shoulders.
G-MOM2

I would think the wc case results {accepted or denied} should be separate from your divorce case.

Your atty should bring up how many wc cases are wrongfully denied although the claimants are still injured.
{although that would be difficult to prove}

Or it might be better if he brings your Drs reports or actual Dr to state that you are indeed injured and disabled and the fact that the wc system has failed you in your wc case, that should have no bearing on the divorce settlement.
And then the proof of the SSDI will counter the denied wc.

I am not a lawyer though - just my logic of it.

Jo55,

I will PM you later in the day. Really appreciate your reply

g-mom2

It is wonderful to see you Gmom! Please check out my post - I am in too much pain now to continue. Love ya, Tam

Regarding QMEs, does anyone have my old long thing on QMEs? I will try to find it. What is the date of the QME? Has it past?