You’re probably used to dealing with your family doctor, chiropractor and other members of your healthcare team, but what about an independent medical assessor? When attending an assessment with an independent medical assessor, the purpose of the visit and the relationship between yourself and the healthcare practitioner is different. What is an Independent Medical Assessor? What is the difference between them and your family doctor? What are your rights when attending an independent medical examination (IME) at NYRC? Read on to get answers to all these questions and more.
What is an Independent Medical Assessor?
An Independent Medical Assessor is a registered and qualified healthcare practitioner, often in active clinical practice, trained in performing IMEs. These practitioners utilize their years of clinical experience to perform unbiased and objective assessments for a variety of purposes and stakeholders, such as personal injury lawyers, insurance companies, employers, government agencies, and other organizations and individuals.
Unlike your primary care physician, an independent medical assessor does not have a treating relationship with you. As an objective and impartial independent assessor, their role is to assess you at particular points in time and to provide the referring party (lawyer, insurance company, etc.) with an unbiased and evidence-informed update on your clinical status, diagnosis, prognosis and treatment recommendations. In some situations, an IME expert will work directly with your care team to discuss best practices for future care. In most cases, however, the results of an IME are provided to the referring party, who will then share the report with you.
Who are NYRC’s Assessors?
At NYRC, we have built a roster of the best Independent Medical Assessors in Canada, from coast to coast. With over 500 physicians and other health professionals on the NYRC team, we are able to provide the right expert answering the right questions for each individual’s unique case. NYRC’s medical expert roster consists of over 35 different medical specialties, from physiatrists and psychiatrists to occupational therapists and chronic pain specialists. (For a more extended list of the medical specialties for which we offer IME services, please click here.)
Who can join the NYRC team? Only the best. Not just any medical professional can become an NYRC assessor. We only work with assessors who meet our strict credentialing and background requirements to ensure that each assessor has the experience, expertise and ability to address the unique needs of our clients’ cases. That is why, prior to accepting a medical assessor to the NYRC roster, we check that they are fully licensed and registered and maintain the necessary liability insurance in accordance with their colleges and associations. In addition to initial screening, NYRC performs industry-leading, real-time credentialing. This means that our assessors are reviewed for any complaints, license issues, negative media and other issues before each and every assessment they perform. This increased scrutiny further protects all stakeholders and helps to achieve an independent assessment process every single time.
As someone who may need to undergo an IME at some point in time, you deserve to have access to assessments with assessors who are objective, competent, and credible. The assessors at NYRC and the NYRC team provide you with just that.
What are your rights when attending an IME at NYRC?
Too often in our society, individuals are not provided with the relevant information required to give informed consent. At NYRC, preserving the rights of the person served (you) is paramount.
As a CARF Accredited Facility for two programs (Independent Evaluation Services for Adults and Independent Evaluation Services for Children and Adolescents), you have the right to:
- Be accommodated fairly and respectfully
- Privacy and confidentiality of information
- Freedom from abuse, financial or other exploitation, retaliation, humiliation and neglect
- A clear and supported complaint process
- Refuse services from NYRC with the provision of consequences, i.e. informed refusal
- Receive services in a manner that is non-coercive
- Receive services in a manner that allows for self-determination
- Have legal guardians (substitute decision-makers) participate in decision making
Why is this important? Because to be empowered and to be truly part of the IME process, you need to be informed, respected and included in the process. At NYRC, we ensure this is always the case.
NYRC is proud to be trusted by hundreds of clients across the country. Our commitment to going the extra mile when it comes to professionalism and evidence-based services is what makes NYRC stand out. Visit this page to learn more about NYRC.
Stay safe and healthy!
