Benchmark Client Newsletter Oct 03.pub

Vital Resource Vital Resource for Medical-Legal for Medical SOLUTIONS M EDICAL C ONSULTANTS October 2003 Volume 4, Issue 5 THE CURRENT BUZZWORD…”EVIDENCE-BASED” Mark Your Calendar Medical-Legal Seminar calgalminar This may seem states, is trying to control the escalat-a strange topic ing Workers’ Compensation costs to for an orthopedic improve the business environment. In Saturday- November 8 8 surgeon to dis- that I have been a prior member of Sacramento amencuss but, after the Industrial Medical Council, the Convention Center nterall, the majority UCSD Orthopedic Department was of the treatment awarded the contract to develop a test for muscu- documenting medical findings. loskeletal disor- This test eventually emerged as the Vert Mooney, M.D. ders is non- CAL-FCP (Functional Capacity Proto-surgical. Thus, it col) test. This was a series of draw-is useful to inquire if the treatment is ra- ings of individuals doing normal activi-tional, especially when it is being com- ties of daily living with increasing pensated by the medical health care sys- physical demands and a physical test tem. as to capacity for lifting and grasping. The test was criticized for not measur- Our assumption in this modern age is ing pain but defended in that dimin-that medical care is being provided on ished function should reflect impair-the basis of scientific information. The INSIDE THIS ISSUE: ments caused by pain. Actually, there current buzzword ...