MML Articles

[2017] PrecedentAULA 5; (2017) 138 Precedent 14 The management of the injured worker in a compensation scheme can pose unique challenges to the treatment provider. Unlike the traditionally exclusive doctor-patient relationship, working in a compensation setting includes the addition of a third party (the insurer) into the clinical mix. As a consequence, the traditional doctor-patient dyad is challenged, with the potential to impact upon important clinical domains including: r

In the highly scrutinised world of medicolegal assessments, the language used by orthopaedic surgeons matters profoundly. Our reports guide legal outcomes, compensation decisions, and appropriate care pathways. At times I read subjective or potentially stigmatising language in orthopaedic reports, for example: "His entire presentation is related to a psychiatric phenomenon far more likely to be a conversion disorder rather than any physical explanation." "There is likely to b

Most orthopaedic surgeons are trained to treat patients. IME work requires a different mindset. What I wish I could tell new IMEs I practise orthopaedics in two different settings: as a treating surgeon and as an Independent Medical Examiner. The training is the same. The mindset is different. As a treating orthopaedic surgeon Your starting point is simple: How do I help this person get better? You take a history, perform an examination, and order investigations. In orthopaed