Workers’ Compensation and Telemedicine in Glendale- What You Need to Know

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Did you know that COVID-19 has done much more than creating a pandemic?
It has provided a solution for health professionals to treat the injured without physically meeting them because of social distancing guidelines. And it’s called telemedicine.
While doctors have been using It for a long time, it’s now a common form of medical treatment for injured workers and people. So, it has also proven helpful in closing workers’ compensation claims.

What Exactly Is Telemedicine?

Telemedicine is the process where health professionals use telecommunication to diagnose, evaluate and treat patients.
It can be done from any distance, far and near, and is now a standard tool in the healthcare industry. Telemedicine has positively changed the medical fraternity and will continue to be the norm even after the pandemic subsides.

How Do Doctors Use Telemedicine to Treat Health Conditions?

Telemedicine is easy to perform.
Both patients and doctors have to install simple programs and applications on their computers and phones.
They can then use it to conduct virtual appointments with one another. However, serious injuries are better not treated through telemedicine.
So, they require immediate and personal medical attention.

Telemedicine Uses

Telemedicine makes things so much easier for doctors and healthcare professionals. It may not be ideal for treating all work injuries, but it is perfect for:

  • Deciding a patient’s treatment
  • Conducting follow up visits
  • Providing rehabilitation services
  • Evaluating a patient’s range of motion
  • Observing bruising and swelling
  • Medication management
  • Some types of specialist consultations

Telemedicine Benefits

Telemedicine offers multiple benefits for everyone injured, including employees suffering from serious work injuries.

1. Doctors Come to You

Some injuries may make moving around difficult.
Thanks to telemedicine, there’s no need for patients to get out and drive to the doctor for medical appointments. However, thanks to telemedicine, the consultation is performed at home, with minimal exertion.

2. Independence

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Some patients cannot drive to the doctor and have to wait for someone.
Telemedicine lets doctors assess them at home.
So, they no longer have to wait for family members or friends to get them to their appointments. Instead, they remain independent, efficiently attending evaluations from home.

3. Possible Quicker Recovery

Injured workers are more likely to attend their scheduled visits thanks to the convenience of telemedicine. They are thus likely to participate in all the recommended rehabilitation and follow-up visits, leading to a possible speedy recovery.

4. Additional Advantages:

  • Fewer lost wages because workers recover quickly and spend less time away from work.
  • Minimal traveling expenses
  • Better commitment to attending doctors’ visits as there’s no interference with other responsibilities
  • More privacy as appointments are conducted in the comfort of their homes
  • Minimal exposure to infected and contagious patients

Can a QME Conduct an Evaluation Using Telemedicine?

Sometimes the entire, or part of workers comp cases may end up disputed.
This is when you may need another doctor’s evaluation named a QME, the abbreviation for ‘qualified medical evaluator.’
With the COVID-19 pandemic, California’s rules permit a QME or AME to reschedule medical and legal appointments. However, they must reschedule the meeting to within 90 days of lifting the statewide stay-at-home or other similar restrictions.
(AME is the abbreviation for Agreed Medical Evaluator. It refers to the doctor your workers’ compensation lawyer and insurance company selects to evaluate your case dispute.)
However, it is possible to conduct QMEs through telemedicine for cases where physical examinations aren’t necessary.
The physician performs the interview with the injured via telephone or video conferencing. So, it’s after the statewide stay-at-home and similar orders are lifted that they conduct an in-person evaluation.

Get a Confirmation from Your Workers’ Compensation Layer in Glendale

Telemedicine is here to stay.
The injured needn’t worry about visiting their doctor’s clinics for appointments as they are scheduled at home. However, it’s better to confirm how effective telemedicine is for your case if you were injured at work.
And the best prison you can turn to for guidance is your Glendale workers’ compensation attorney. So, they have years of experience handling various workers comp cases and can help you out.

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