Causation of Occupational Injuries: Fact & Fiction
Causation of Occupational Injuries: Fact & Fiction
July 14, 2008 The Resort and Conference Center at Hyannis |
Executive Summary
This unique preconference is for anyone who is involved with workers’ compensation and occupational health. Every new workers’ compensation case involves the determination of causation. The evidence based science of causation has been difficult to assemble. This course will bring together the science of causation, the law, and the daily application of both. This course is based on the AMA Press book entitled
Guides to the Evaluation of Disease and Injury Causation edited by Melhorn and Ackerman.At the completion of this workshop you will learn:
• Work-relatedness,
• Definitions for causation: medical and legal,
• How to review the physical examination,
• Understand apportionment,
• Be able to prepare the written report,
• Be able to evaluate the written report,
• Understand specific diagnoses.
Distinguished Faculty
J. Mark Melhorn, MD, FAAOS, FAADEP, FACS, is an occupational orthopaedic physician that specializes in the hands and upper extremities. He received his BS from McPherson College and his MD from the University of Kansas. Dr. Melhorn is board certified in orthopedic surgery with added qualifications in surgery of the hand. In addition to his practice of orthopaedics at The Hand Center in Wichita, Kansas, Dr. Melhorn is a Clinical Assistant Professor, Section of Orthopaedics, Department of Surgery, University of Kansas School of Medicine - Wichita. He has authored over 350 articles, chapters, and publications about his research of workplace injuries and illnesses; return to work options; impairment and disability; and prevention of musculoskeletal pain in the workplace. He has lectured extensively to physicians, employers, insurers, administrators, and legislators on industrial musculoskeletal, upper extremity disorders, and prevention of musculoskeletal pain (MSDs) in the workplace. He is currently the program director for the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons continuing education course on “Occupational Orthopaedics and Workers’ Compensation: A Multidisciplinary Perspective” and for the American Academy of Disability Evaluating Physicians on “Annual Scientific Meeting,” serves on the Board of Directors for the American Academy of Disability Evaluating Physicians, the Committee for Occupational Health for the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, Industrial Injuries and Prevention Committee for the American Society for Surgery of the Hand, Return to Work Committee and the Evidence Based Practice Committee for the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, lead contributor section of Upper Extremities for the American Medical Association’s 6th Edition of Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment and 5th edition chapter reviewer, co-section editor for musculoskeletal area of the Medical Advisory Board for Medical Disability Advisor - Disability Duration Guidelines and the Official Disabilities Guidelines (ODG) of the Work Loss Data Institute, Editorial Board of APG Insights Newsletter (designed as supplement, interpretation and application of the ACOEM Clinical Practice Guidelines), previous member of the Ergonomic Committee for the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, past president of the Kansas Orthopedic Society, Continuing Medical Education committee for AAOS, a Musculoskeletal Chapter Reviewer for the American Medical Association’s 5th Edition of Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment, and previous faculty for continuing education courses by SEAK and American Board of Independent Medical Examiners. Dr. Melhorn is the co-editor of the text “A Physicians’ Guide to Return to Work” AMA Press (2005), Guides to the Evaluation of Disease and Injury Causation AMA Press (2007) and is the lead author for the Upper Extremity Chapter in the 6th Edition of the AMA Guides to Impairment.
Tuition
The $395 tuition includes a continental breakfast, breaks, lunch with faculty, a detailed manual which can be retained as a bookshelf reference, and a dynamic learning experience.
Click here for registration information.
Continuing Education Information
Case Managers:
6.5 contact hours of continuing education for Case Managers have been applied for from the Commission for Case Manager Certification, Rolling Meadows, Illinois. Disability Specialists: 6.5 contact hours of continuing education for Disability Specialists have been applied for from the Commission for Disability Management Specialists Commission, Rolling Meadows, Illinois. Human Resource Professionals: This program has been approved for 6.25 recertification credit hours toward PHR, SPHR and GPHR recertification through the Human Resource Certification Institute (HRCI). Nurses: To successfully complete a program and receive contact hours you must: 1) register in, 2) be present for the period of time you are awarded contact hours, 3) complete the evaluation. Occupational Health Nurses: 6.5 60-minute contact hours of continuing education have been applied for through the American Association of Occupational Health Nurses, Inc. (AAOHN). AAOHN is an accredited approver of continuing education by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation. Physical Therapists: Continuing Physical Therapy credits vary by state, and will only be applied for if requested in writing on the conference registration form. Physicians: SEAK, Inc. is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians. SEAK, Inc. designates this educational activity for a maximum of 6.75 AMA PRA Category 1™ Credits. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity. Rehabilitation Counselors: 6.5 contact hours of continuing education hours for Rehabilitation Counselors have been applied for from the Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification, Rolling Meadows, Illinois. Rehabilitation Nurses: This program will be accepted for 6.5 contact hours of credit for ARN certification. Submit certificate.Scheduleclick here to view the complete schedule
Monday, July 14, 2008
7:00-8:00Registration and Continental Breakfast
8:00-9:00Introduction and
Background
Attendees will
learn how to determine work-relatedness based on medical and legal
definitions. The science of causation associations will be
discussed.
9:00-10:00Methodology,
Apportionment, and Physical Examination
The medical record will be reviewed for what
should be included to allow for a determination of causation in a
specific case. In other words, how you take the science and apply
the information to a specific individual.
10:00-10:20BREAK & NETWORKING OPPORTUNITY
10:20-11:10Writing the
Report
Expanding on the previous hour, the medical
record should now reflect a clear statement regarding causation and
appropriate treatments.
11:10-12:00Spine Examples
Specific cases
will be discussed.
12:00-1:10LUNCH PROVIDED
WITH FACULTY
1:10-2:00Lower Limb
Examples
Specific cases will be discussed.
2:00-3:00Upper Limb
Examples
Specific cases will be discussed.
3:00-3:15BREAK & NETWORKING OPPORTUNITY
3:15-4:00How to Approach
Causation Issues
A summary of the day.
4:00-4:30Your
Cases
Attendees
encouraged to bring their difficult cases for group discussion and
review using the approaches discussed in “How to Approach Causation
Issues.”