Mission Statement:

To present an objective and highly professional array of professional services in the field of Independent Medical Examinations.

Philosophy

 

The final product of an Independent Medical Examination is a clear and concise report which is based on objective analysis and that answers the questions asked by the requesting party. The components of an excellent Independent Medical Examination include an interview of the examinee, an exhaustive review of the examinee’s medical history and a thorough physical examination. The synthesis of these components is the essence of the final product, the Independent Medical Examination Report.

In order to produce a quality report the examiner must fully understand the expectations of the requesting party. The scope and breadth of the report is tailored to those expectations. To address the issues at hand in a clear and concise report is the basis of an excellent IME. The examiner must be experienced in the specific field of medicine being addressed. The complete examiner demonstrates knowledge of the legal and medical aspects of Workers’ Compensation.

Regardless of the questions being asked of the examining physician, eliciting an exhaustive history from the examinee is critical. The history of work related issues must include the mechanism of injury, circumstances of the incident and any other pertinent information. Perhaps equally important is the examinee’s seemingly unrelated medical history, including previous injuries and illnesses. A thorough and factual review of the medical records must be documented, analyzed and reported. The past history is a key component of an excellent IME report.

The most salient portion of the report is the conclusion and analysis. Most important is to explain, in laymen’s terms, the thought process that led to the stated conclusions. These conclusions must be backed by medically sound principles. When subjective complaints do not correlate with objective findings the report must address the issues and highlight the discrepancies.

The IME report must present the case history in a clear and understandable manner. A complete physical examination must be documented and must be based on the current medical standards. The work related diagnosis must correlate with the mechanism of injury and the affected body part. The conclusions and the thought process behind the conclusions drawn should be discussed at length and therefore lend greater credibility to the report. Inconsistencies and discrepancies in the history or physical examination must be described concisely and addressed in the report.

Timely turnaround of reports is essential. When circumstances dictate that an urgent or supplemental report is required, this is accommodated on a timely basis in order to serve the needs of the requesting party. To produce a complete IME product the author of the medical report needs to be a credible expert witness and be available for court appearances as needed.

In summary, Dr. Crawford’s 20 years of treating on–the-job injuries, combined with his expertise in muscular skeletal medicine, give his reports a unique perspective. The well thought out reports give credence to the conclusions and credibility to the report. Combined with his willingness to appear in court, he has been a credible expert witness in various venues, Dr. Crawford is proud to present an IME practice with a complete range of high quality and professional services.