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Roles and responsibilities of the chiropractor
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Timely reports
To expedite management of an injured worker’s claim, chiropractors are asked to fax the completed chiropractor's report (8/10) to the Commission on the day the injured worker is initially assessed.
In situations where the chiropractor is the first health care provider to see the claimant, the worker should not leave the chiropractor’s office without his/her copy of the chiropractor's report (8/10) and the copy that they will bring to their employer. If time constraints make it impossible to complete the entire report at the time of the visit, please complete the ‘Work Capability’ section of the form, which requires only a few check marks and possibly a brief comment. Give the employer’s copy to the injured worker, even if the form is incomplete, so that the employer is able to discuss early and safe return to work with the injured worker immediately.
Progress reports should be submitted via the chiropractor's report (8/10) when there is significant change in the worker’s condition, treatment or return-to-work plan.
Accurate and complete reports
The ‘Work Capability’ section of the chiropractor's report (8/10) is sometimes completed incorrectly, which can cause confusion with return to work planning. Section B, specific functional limitations, and Section C, total disability, are exclusive of each other, so only one of the two sections should be checked. If you select Section B, please provide the details of the patient’s limitations by choosing the appropriate subheadings in B, then complete Section D, work hours, but leave Section C blank. When you check Section C, you are indicating that the injured worker not only is incapable of doing their pre-injury job, but is also totally disabled from doing work of any kind.
Frequency of treatments
For new injuries where chiropractic care is being obtained within 90 days from the date of the injury, the Commission automatically approves payment for an initial assessment and up to a maximum of 15 treatments, regardless of whether the claim has been accepted. Once treatment has begun, it must be completed within 90 days of the first treatment. If the claim is denied, the clinic will be informed that it has been denied and no further treatment will be authorized beyond that date.
For recurrences, or for new injuries where chiropractic care is obtained beyond ninety days from the date of the injury, prior approval for payment of chiropractic treatment must be obtained from the Commission. The Commission agrees to pay for the first assessment in this circumstance.
In all cases, any extension of chiropractic care beyond fifteen treatments must be approved for payment by the Commission in accordance with policy HC-02.
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