Independent medical examination

Sometimes we'll make an appointment for you to see a doctor who is not your regular doctor. This is called an independent medical examination.

We've made this video to provide you with some clarity around this type of referral and what happens next.

It's normal to feel uncertain about attending an independent medical examination. You might have question about the process and what's involved.

Here are some key takeaways for you:

• You'll be seeing an independent doctor.
• The doctor will send a report to WorkCover to help guide decisions about your claim.
• You should bring any relevant scans or reports you have to the appointment.

In this video we'll talk about:

• why you might need to go to an independent medical examination
• what you should know beforehand
• what to bring with you when you go
• what to expect during the appointment and
• what might happen afterwards

It's important to know why WorkCover has made an appointment for you to see a doctor. If you're not sure, just ask us. Some common reasons are:

• to help us decide if we should accept your claim.
• to better understand your injury and treatment options to decide if we should fund surgery or other treatment that's been requested.
• it might be to help us identify what work you can safely do while you're recovering and sometimes we need information to understand whether your claim can continue or if it should stop.
• There may be other reasons too.

The independent medical examination process is there to ensure fairness and clarity.

Before you go, it's good to know that any doctor we refer you to for an independent medical examination will also work as a doctor in their own private practice.

This means they are not employed by WorkCover and they'll have current relevant medical expertise.

They'll provide a medical opinion to WorkCover and they won't make any decisions about your claim.

We'll send you to a doctor that has the right expertise based on your injury or illness.

We'll provide them with any reports or other relevant information we have before you go.

The appointment usually happens in person at their clinic. We'll send you a letter with all the details for the appointment and a reminder SMS.

You can also see these details in our online services or the Worker Assist app.

Just like your treatment appointments, if you need to pay for parking or if you're travelling more than 20km each way, you can claim for travel expenses.

If there's any reason you can't make it to your appointment, you should let us know as soon as possible.

Bring any scans, x-rays or medical reports you have to the appointment.

You should also bring a list of your medications and a list of any doctors or health providers you've already seen about your injury or illness.

You can take someone with you to the appointment but it's up to the doctor if that person can be present during the examination. Ask us if you're unsure.

The appointment might be different from when you see your usual doctor. This is because the independent doctor can't provide you with any advice or treatment.

They might ask you questions about your injury or illness, how it happened and what treatment you've had. They might ask about the impact on your daily life and activities.

It's important to be open and honest so the doctor has a complete picture. If you have a physical injury the doctor might need to examine the relevant part of your body so you should wear loose clothing and wear undergarments.

The doctor may have everything they need from previous scans and other reports and they might not need to ask a lot of questions. Or they might have lots of questions and your appointment might take longer.

Sometimes, the doctor might ask you to get more scans or other relevant screening tests after you see them.

After the appointment, the doctor will send a report to WorkCover, usually within two weeks.

In some cases we'll forward the report to your regular doctor so they can make decisions about your treatment.

If you'd like to see the medical report just ask us and we'll send it to your doctor to discuss with you.

What happens after your independent medical examination will be unique to your claim. That's why it's important to understand why WorkCover asked you to go to the appointment in the first place.

Knowing the potential outcomes and decisions we need to make about your claim means you can be prepared and informed no matter what happens.

We're here to help, so please talk to us if you're concerned.

You can find the details of your claim contact in the Worker Assist app or call 1300 362 128. If you need help in your language, call 1800 512 451 and ask for an interpreter.