IME Transcription, Medical Summarization, and Outsourcing

With the rapid growth of the medical industry, doctors’ performing in IME is left with little time to review all the medical reports on their own. This is where medical summarization and outsourcing comes in handy. In this article, we intend to provide a detailed overview of IME transcription, medical summarization, and outsourcing. But before delving deeper, one needs to acquire a comprehensive overview of IME itself.

What is IME?

An independent medical evaluation – better known as IME, is an objective, third-party oriented medical exam. An IME can be required in insurance companies, benefits suppliers, Human Resource managers, lawyers, or even employers. In any of the cases, IME is processed when an individual gets injured and needs third-party documentation and authentication to validate the extent and condition of their injuries.

The IME report is often required to confirm or reject benefits, provide medical coverage to the individuals, and the report also advised necessary steps for the employer to follow to return to work safely.

Therefore IME is an objective evaluation which has no biases towards either the patient party or the medical board. An IME is a medical evaluation which seeks to resolve one’s questions regarding his/her medical condition. Generally, the insurance company asks for an IME since it may disagree with the decision by your doctor regarding your course of medical treatment. In several cases, the judiciary procedure too may order for an IME to resolve your disputed case.

Basics of IME

The rules regarding these medical exams vary for each place. Generally, when the insurance companies demand an IME, they select the doctor who is supposed to conduct the evaluation. Therefore there cannot be any dispute regarding the impartiality of the doctors, who obtain payment from the concerned insurance companies. Consequently, they provide an incentive to minimize the expenditure of the insurer and also your benefits by lowering the extent of your injury and consequent requirements for medical treatment.

If you disagree with the opinion of your treating doctor, you may also demand an IME if your state permits so. This will enable you to select your preferable evaluating physician.

According to the varying systems of each state, the concerned doctor who is supposed to perform the IME may be selected from a random list of qualified specialists of any field or may also be chosen by the judge.

It is always preferable to contact an attorney if you get involved in judicial cases. The attorney will help you to demand rights during the procedure.

IME exam is also conducted regarding the issue of a child custody dispute to determine whether the concerned parent is mentally stable enough to raise the child with proper attention.

Conducting IME

After an accident, the first aid treatment is often supervised by any random doctor nearby. Usually, when the person claims a charge for the accident, the insurance company will demand a second opinion in the form of an IME. Though it is called an “independent evaluation” but most often than not, the insurance company is familiar with the performing doctor before the test, and it's only natural that the IME report will be more skewed against the initial report of the injured person.

One concern of IME is that the victim's doctor may be a bit biased in assessing the range of the injury. However, in case of an accident, the attorney of the injured party can be present during the examination.

The Necessity of Outsourcing IME Transcription and Medical Summarization

Before the examination, your medical reports and other relevant documents will be submitted to the IME doctor. The doctor will have to review these documents pre or post examination. Here come the medical summarization and IME transcription to the doctor’s rescue.

Usually, IME is supervised by the specialist Doctor of medicine (MD) or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (OD), generally the ones with proper medical knowledge, exposure, and training in a particular specific area related to the case, and also with acute experience in IME tests.

Many of these doctors who perform IME tests are engaged in their practice. Therefore IME is extra work for them. They have many other preoccupations so can’t bother themselves with checking all the pages of your report extensively and minutely. Amidst their busy schedule, they often don’t get much time to review these lengthy medical reports to arrive at an opinion.

Outsourcing medical summarization helps to clear this muddle. It is cost-effective, as well. Many of the companies deliver summarization services along with transcription services to make things even better and more straightforward.

The procedure of Medical Summarization and IME Transcription

The companies providing the concerned services can write a letter to the doctor briefly relating your injury, summarizing your medical treatment till date, and relating specific questions regarding a medical condition which need attention. These questions help the doctor to test the specific areas which require minute supervision.

The questions may include:

Do you have the medical condition which you claim?
Did the accident cause your recent symptoms? Or have you developed the injury in any other way?
What kind of treatment is optimum for you? Do you need surgery that your doctor recommended?
When will you be able to get back to work? Which sort of restrictions do you need to follow?
Have you developed any permanent disability?