The Chair of the Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB), Robert Beloten, recently released a statement about the WCBs improvements to the impartial specialist program – which basically has me in awe. Perhaps they got the language wrong (see WCB Subject No 046-506)…??
You see, in the past when the Presiding Law Judge couldn’t decide between what the injured workers doctor said and what the paid insurance consultant said he or she had the option to direct an evaluation by an impartial specialist – a doctor allegedly pre-screened by the WCB to make such assessments. Then, a decision would be made based on the results of these three reports made. Let’s just say it didn’t really work out all that well and over the past decade the use of such impartial specialists have fallen by the wayside.
Then, surprisingly the WCB issues this statement that it is improving the program – Chair Announces Impartial Specialist Program Improvements and Seeks Applications from Physicians. Heck, I didn’t even know that the program was in existence, yet alone going to be improved!
Let’s hope this new try will actually create a real list of doctors who will be truly ‘impartial’ and can help us through the challenge of dealing with Judges who cannot seem to decide between the injured workers treating doctor and a paid for defense doctor.