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In a new report released by the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine and the International Association of Industrial Accident Boards and Commissions, workers' comp stakeholders attending a meeting earlier this year agreed that "increasing the availability of physicians who provide high value services is essential to improving the workers' comp system and that efforts must be made to recognize and reward those within the physician community who do so."

The report identifies physicians who provide high-value services in workers' comp as those who:

• Meet a basic set of requirements:
• Are accessible when needed.
• Are appropriately credentialed.
• Have relevant professional experience and necessary proficiencies.
• Practice medicine in a high quality manner by employing evidence based treatment methods, by utilizing tests, procedures and specialist services wisely, and by coordinating care.
• Focus on functional recovery and minimize needless life disruption and disability for the workers they treat.
• Produce good overall medical and functional outcomes in a timely manner.
• Satisfy the needs of the key parties in workers' comp cases -- worker, employer, payer and others who may become involved -- to be treated with courtesy and to receive information and guidance provided without bias and with good communication skills.

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