Cost and Outcome Analyses on the Timing of First Independent Medical Evaluation in Patients with Work-Related Lumbosacral Sprain

Details

• Personal Author:
  Atkins J ; Ducatman A ; Gerbo R ; Hu W ; Jin C ; Martin C ; Sun C ; Wang Y
• Description:
  OBJECTIVE: To assess outcomes for different times to the first independent medical evaluation (IME) for work-related lumbosacral sprain. METHODS: The 2005 West Virginia workers' compensation claims for "lumbosacral sprain" were used for our analyses. Outcomes included costs, maximal medical improvement status, number of IMEs performed, and the length of temporary total disability. Multiple logistic regression modeling was applied to determine the significance between the timing of first IME and these outcomes. RESULTS: Patients with a first IME within 101 to 150 days after the injury had the best outcomes, measured by no repeat IMEs, appropriately reaching maximal medical improvement, and decreasing the temporary total disability length and related costs. CONCLUSIONS: Scheduling the first IME between 101 and 150 days after the injury contained indemnity costs, and shortened the length of disability. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Delivery Of Health Care Health Care Facilities Workforce And Services Musculoskeletal Diseases Musculoskeletal System Occupational Health Safety
• Keywords:
  Back-injuries Disabled-workers Mathematical-models Medical-care Medical-services Medical-treatment Skeletal-disorders Skeletal-system-disorders Statistical-analysis
• ISSN:
  1076-2752
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  OSHA Region 3 ; West Virginia
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Volume:
  49
• Issue:
  11
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20032983
• Citation:
  J Occup Environ Med 2007 Nov; 49(11):1264-1268
• Contact Point Address:
  Department of Community Medicine, Institute of Occupational and Environmental Health, West Virginia University School of Medicine, Morgantown, WV 26506
• Email:
  csun@hsc.wvu.edu
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2008
• Performing Organization:
  West Virginia University
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  20050701
• Source Full Name:
  Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
• End Date:
  20250630
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:ec7609b3d58b809aa0f55e576bd2f44c909b85f16e93c70aa881ab0c7bf89d14c4453e56a9abc4bd4abf8182464fe826ef7d776cabb65d23bdfc1ba5d467cfd9
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/188729/cdc_188729_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 204.09 KB ]