Disability
Assessments
for Extra Income
By Lewis C. Rose, MD
In Texas, there is an organized approach to the
assessment of disability (impairment)
for ongoing Worker's Compensation. Doctors are expected
to provide a totally independent assessment of the
injured worker (claimants). Physicians with appropriate
skills are being sought by Churchill
Evaluation Centers.
Each case takes about an hour.
Everything the physician needs is
provided at the Churchill Evaluation
Center. The doctor usually receives
$300-$400 per case. The state
provides immunity. Physicians
must have a Texas medical license
but an active practice is not
required. It is an excellent way to
generate alternative income without
hassle.
A physician who decides to join the cadre of examiners
is required to attend a two-day course on evaluation
methods and standards, and to pass the test of proficiency.
Later, having achieved proficiency, the doctor is
then eligible to be appointed as a “designated doctor”
under the Texas Worker’s Compensation Act. While
functioning as such a doctor, the physician is granted
immunity from liability by the state.
The state
assigns cases to the physician on a
rotational basis and the physician can utilize any
of the fifty Texas Churchill centers to examine
the claimants. At each center, there will be a well-equipped
examining room and appropriate staff. Injured workers
will arrive by appointment. The physician will be
able to review all the relevant notes, x-rays or
other reports before starting the examination. After
the exam, the doctor then dictates clinical findings.
Through Churchill, the physician controls
the schedule and workload. Cases are
seen anytime in a two to three week timeframe. Volume
can be enhanced by choosing more than one center.
For example, a San Antonio physician may want to
drive to centers in surrounding counties, such as
New Braunfels or San Marcos or may prefer to fly
to major cities, such as Dallas or Houston.
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