Combine your IME with an FCE for Maximum Efficiency!
An IME (Independent Medical Examination) and an FCE (Functional Capacity Evaluation) are both informatory tools used in supporting medico-legal claims. Both assessment types are commonly used in personal injury and insurance claims to establish how injury and illness can impact an individual’s ability to undergo activities in day-to-day life at home, work, socially and recreationally.
Red Assess Plus streamlines the process by providing an IME and FCE all at once ~ providing you with a more accurate and reliable report, saving time and money, and enhancing the outcome of your case.
The difference between an IME and FCE
An independent medical examination (IME) and a functional capacity evaluation (FCE) are two types of medical evaluations. While they may seem similar, there are some key differences between the two.
Independent Medical Examinations give a comprehensive medical opinion of an injury, illness, or medical condition and they are conducted by a Medical Specialist, separate from a person’s treating General Practitioner (GP). They are referred to as medical experts and are required to be specially trained and accredited in State and Commonwealth Schemes and Guidelines in the evaluation of Permanent Impairment.
The purpose of an IME is to provide an objective evaluation of the person’s injuries, medical condition, and treatment needs.
On the other hand, a functional capacity evaluation (FCE) is a comprehensive assessment of a person’s physical abilities, limitations, and restrictions. It is typically performed by an allied health professional such as an Occupational Therapist (OT). The FCE evaluates a person’s ability to perform work-related activities, such as lifting, carrying, pushing, and pulling, as well as functional tasks like reaching, grasping, and manipulating objects. The OT will utilise their findings of the assessment along with any other information provided to determine the injured person’s ability to return to work or to perform certain tasks. They can assess psychological limitations which may impact a person’s ability to engage in activities of daily living or work.
In summary, an IME is a medical evaluation that focuses on the injured person’s medical condition, while an FCE is an evaluation of the injured person’s physical and psychological abilities and limitations. Both evaluations can be used in claims for injury, illness and medical conditions, but they serve different purposes.
Functional Capacity Evaluation
Complete functional testing generally falls outside a medical practitioner’s expertise, and occupational therapists are better placed to conduct a Functional Capacity Evaluation to further establish a person’s capacity for work and daily activities.
A person will be evaluated on their ability and tolerance to walk, run, lift, grasp, and other appropriate physical, psychological or neurological-specific activities depending on the injury or condition. The OT aims to replicate tasks associated with work and daily activities during the evaluation.
FCE examinations can take up to 3 hours to undertake the required testing and to extract information that helps identify any limitations and impacting factors. A more detailed report is produced than an IME report for determining a person’s ability to return to work or to perform certain tasks.
Choosing a Red Assess Plus Service makes sense.
Coupling an IME with our customised FCE (FCELite) is a comprehensive approach to assessing a person’s ability to return to work or to perform certain tasks.
The end result is a medico-legal report from your preferred independent medical examiner which utilises the accurate and real-time findings of the occupational therapist. They refer to and support their own medical opinion with this information when answering specific questions relating to a person’s ability to return to work or to perform certain tasks.
Choosing a Red Assess Plus combo for your medico-legal assessment is the ultimate time and money saver.
Our Plus Service is commonly used in conjunction with Orthopaedic Surgeons (Ortho+), Psychiatrists (Psych+), Neurosurgeons (Neuro+), Rehabilitation Physicians (Rehab+) and Occupational Physicians (OEP+).
Upgrade the way you IME. Book your Red Assess Plus Service today.
