...True Martin, MD; Christopher R. Brigham, MD; Charles N. Brooks, MD This article provides an overview of the neurological examination and diagnostic studies commonly used in the evaluation of low back pain, information that is essential for both clinical assessment and impairment rating in the AMA...

..., and a third divides the preparation of reports into three steps: clinical evaluation, calculation of the impairment rating, and discussion of how the impairment rating was calculated. A fourth table includes an extensive checklist that lists the components of most quality IME reports. The use of templates...

...Norma J. Leclair, RN, PhD, LCPC; Leclair Steven W., PhD, CRC; Christopher R. Brigham, MD According to the AMA Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment ( AMA Guides ), motivation is a need or desire that causes a person to act and may be a key factor in an individual's physical or mental...

...Robert H. Haralson, MD © 1998 American Medical Association. All Rights Reserved. 1998 American Medical Association Evaluation of the cervical spine and of the lumbar spine are similar with one major exception. In the cervical spine, an injury can cause spinal cord damage resulting...

...Lorne Direnfeld, MD, FRCP(C) © 1997 American Medical Association. All Rights Reserved. 1997 American Medical Association The Guides addresses impairment evaluation of headaches in section 15.9 of the chapter on pain (4th ed., 311). Rating impairment related to various chronic painful...

...Laura Welch, MD Functional capacity evaluations (FCEs) have become an important component of disability evaluation during the past 10 years to assess an individual's ability to perform the essential or specific functions of a job, both preplacement and during rehabilitation. Evaluating both job...

...Rebecca Bascom, MD, MPH; Timothy J. Craig, DO; Diane Schuler, MD Despite rapid advances in understanding of the biology of allergic disorders, practical techniques for evaluating the allergic patient remain fairly constant. The AMA Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment ( AMA Guides...

...Glenn Pransky, MD, MOccH According to the AMA Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment, a functional capacity evaluation (FCE) measures an individual's physical abilities via a set of activities in a structured setting and provides objective data about the relationship between an impairment...

...Robert L. Knobler, MD, PhD; Charles N. Brooks, MD, CIME; Leon H. Ensalada, MPH, FAADEP, CIME; James B. Talmage, MD; Christopher R. Brigham, MD The author of the two-part article about evaluating reflex sympathetic dystrophy (RSD) responds to criticisms that a percentage impairment score may...

... on this knowledge, the physician will then apply the processes and criteria provided in specific chapters. All impairment rating reports should be divided into three main sections: clinical evaluation, analysis of the findings, and discussion. To obtain the highest level of competency, the rating physician should...

... in several arenas, including automobile casualty, workers’ compensation, personal injury, medical malpractice, and long-term disability and differ from traditional clinical evaluations. The evaluating physician must be independent and has no (or only a limited) physician–patient relationship...

.... An evaluator's impairment evaluation report should clearly document the rater's review of prior medical and treatment records, clinical evaluation, analysis of the findings, and a discussion of how the final impairment rating was calculated. The resulting report is the rating physician's expert testimony to help...

...Robert J Barth, PhD Impairment evaluations often occur within an adversarial context that involves a claimant or plaintiff vs a defense or benefits system; this adversarial context may precipitate proposals for observations of a clinical evaluation (eg, by an attorney or attorneys for one or both...

... (retrograde and anterograde); and the presence and duration of alteration in or loss of consciousness. According to the AMA Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment ( AMA Guides ), the evaluating physician should consider the following: narrative history; most recent clinical evaluation; assessment...

... that, taken literally, indicates it should not be used). A detailed case example illustrates how the decision about using the mental/behavioral chapter or the pain chapter often can be clarified by simply performing a thorough clinical evaluation (see Part 2 of this series). Examiners should be aware...

... the unlisted condition to measurable impairment resulting from similar conditions with similar impairment of function in performing activities of daily living. The physician's judgment, based upon experience, training, skill, thoroughness in clinical evaluation, and ability to apply the Guides criteria...

...Charl Els, MBChB, FCPsych(SA), MMedPsych; Barry Gelinas, MD, DC; Rose M. Carter, QC; Les Kertay, PhD Independent medical examinations (IMEs) are elective evaluations of clinical conditions and differ from a clinical consultation in several important ways. They are conducted in many medicolegal...

... to direct examinations and to performing an assessment based on document review. The AMA Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment (AMA Guides), Section 2.7a, Clinical Evaluations, explains that record review is the first part of any such evaluation (6th ed, 28): The relevant history...

... to measurable impairment resulting from similar conditions with similar impairment of function in performing activities of daily living. The physician's judgment, based upon experience, training, skill, thoroughness in clinical evaluation, and ability to apply the Guides criteria as intended, will enable...

... in clinical practice to guide treatment decisions, monitor treatment progress, and assess the effectiveness of interventions. The use of fPROMs has significantly expanded in the last decade. They reflect one aspect of patient-centered care and quality of treatment. Many of the revisions via the different...