Executive Summary

 Learning Objectives

- Determine the specific career opportunities available to you in Disability and File Review Consulting
- Understand what a high quality file review consists of
- Learn the key medical-legal disability issues
- Understand the differing disability standards and contractual terms
- Efficiently write concise file reviews with supportable opinions
- Understand how to deal with issues such as:
        -  Functional ability
        -  Diagnostic tests
        -  Impacts of medications on ability to work
- Market yourself directly and confidently to disability insurers
- Understand the effects of inactivity
- Appreciate the pros and cons of developing an independent consulting practice 

Comments from Past Attendees

Distinguished Faculty

Robert N. Anfield, MD, JD, FAAFP is Lead Medical Director of Cigna Group Insurance and is a former Regional Medical Director for Aetna. He has 20 years of experience managing disability. His experience began at Ameritech, a regional telecommunications company headquartered in Chicago, IL, where, as a Manager, Corporate Occupational Medicine he was responsible for the integrated management of the STD, LTD and workers' compensation experience of Ameritech's 70,000 employees. Subsequently, Dr. Anfield was employed by UnumProvident Corporation as a Medical Director and also served as the Corporate Medical Director of GENEX. Dr. Anfield has had extensive experience in the disability consulting field including: defining role, authority and accountability of physicians within the claim process, developing and implementing processes for claim referrals to medical professionals, developing and implementing recommendations for organization and staffing of physicians within claims, recruiting and hiring physicians, developing and implementing metrics and reporting methodology to track physician productivity, developing and implementing policies and process for on-going credentialing of physicians, budgeting for and managing and organization of 100+ physicians at 4 U.S. sites. Dr. Anfield has testified regarding private sector disability programs and recommendations to improve the Social Security Administration's disability claim process before the U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee on Social Security (2002) and before the Social Security Advisory Board (2005). Dr. Anfield's area of practice is Occupational and Environmental Medicine; he is board certified in Family Medicine and holds degrees from Indiana University School of Medicine and the UCLA School of Law. He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians. 

Steven Babitsky, Esq., is the President of SEAK, Inc. He was a personal injury trial attorney for twenty years and is the former managing partner of the firm Kistin, Babitsky, Latimer & Beitman. Mr. Babitsky is a prolific writer on expert witness issues and is the co-author of the texts Cross-Examination: The Comprehensive Guide for Experts, Writing and Defending Your Expert Report: The Step-by-Step Guide with Models, How to Excel During Cross-Examination: Techniques for Experts That Work, The Comprehensive Forensic Services Manual: The Essential Resources for All Experts, 2004 National Guide To Expert Witness Fees and Billing Procedures and How to Excel During Depositions: Techniques for Experts That Work. 

Alan Neuren, MD is a private contractor providing consultation services to disability carriers in the Portland, Maine area. He received his BA from Bowdoin College and his M.D. from the Medical College of Georgia. Dr. Neuren completed residencies in psychiatry at the University of Connecticut and neurology at Albany Medical Center in New York. He is board certified in both specialties. Dr. Neuren was in clinical practice until 2001 when he was hired as Vice-president Medical Director at Unum. He also served on active duty with the United States Navy between 1975 and 1977 and again in 1991 when he was recalled to active duty for Operation Desert Storm. Dr. Neuren is a Fellow of the American Academy of Neurology. 

Tuition

Tuition is $1,295. Tuition includes  continental breakfast, lunch with faculty each day and a detailed conference manual.

Click here for registration information.

Continuing Education Information

Click here for Continuing Education Information.

Schedule

• Saturday, April 24, 2010
• Sunday April 25, 2010

Saturday, April 24, 2010

8:00–8:15    Introduction
The faculty introduces themselves, explains the goals of the course and the interactive teaching methodology that will be utilized. Questions & Answers

8:15–9:00    Disability & File Review Consulting: Compared & Contrasted
The faculty will compare and contrast the independent medical evaluation process and report from that of other file reviews including: disability reviews, utilization reviews, pre-authorizations, chart reviews, and medical necessity reviews. Questions & Answers

9:00–9:30    Disability Medical-Legal Issues
In this segment the faculty will begin with a review and discussion of the key medical-legal issues facing disability consultants including: diagnosis, impairment, disability, and ability to work. Questions & Answers

9:30–10:00    File Reviews Overview
Faculty will explain and demonstrate what a high quality file review consists of and what is outside the scope of the file review. A discussion of medical records, what is and what is not in the file, and the crucial importance of credibility and consistency of the medical findings and complaints will follow. Questions & Answers

10:00–10:15    BREAK AND NETWORKING OPPORTUNITY

10:15–10:45    Functional Ability
Faculty will review what the latest clinical data tells physicians about functional ability. Discussion will include: physical examination, functional damage, constellations of symptoms, connecting the dots and the medical contraindications to work. Questions & Answers

10:45–11:30    Reasonable and Appropriate Care
Faculty will review the applicable standards and best practices with regard to reasonable and appropriate care. The effectiveness of treatments; what does and does not work and how to support findings will be presented. The practical implications for file review consultants will be explored with the attendees. Questions & Answers

11:30–12:00    Disability Contracts
Faculty will explain and demonstrate with examples the language in standardized disability policies (contracts), the old occupation versus any occupation definition and the changes in definitions and their implication for file reviews and disability consultants. Questions & Answers

12:00–12:45    LUNCH PROVIDED WITH FACULTY

12:45–1:30    Critique of Attendees’ Disability Consulting Review
Faculty will discuss, review, and critique the pre-submitted file reviews of the attendees. Questions & Answers

1:30–2:00    Red Flags for Disability/Impairment
In this session, concrete examples of indications of disability/impairment, paper trails and their significance, indicia of ability, and the impact of secondary gain will be presented. Questions & Answers

2:00–2:30       Medications
Faculty will discuss and provide specific examples of the impact of medications on the ability to work. The discussion will include: dosing, side effects, and cognitive impairments. Questions & Answers

2:30–2:45    BREAK AND NETWORKING OPPORTUNITY

2:45–3:30    Diagnostic Testing
The faculty will present the most commonly used/abused diagnostic tests and the relationship of findings to functional ability. A discussion of the over reliance on test results will take place with the attendees. Questions & Answers

3:30–4:30    Disability Challenges
A discussion of the practical disability evaluation challenges faced by physicians will be presented with proposed solutions. Included in the discussion will be time constraints, missing records/information, and the expectations of insurers. Questions & Answers

4:30–4:45    Ethics
The faculty will identify and lead a frank discussion of the ethical challenges faced by physician file review consultants including: maintaining your credibility and effectiveness, always being able to defend your findings and never having to say you are sorry. Questions & Answers

4:45–5:00    Concluding Remarks
Concluding remarks will be followed with an open and frank give and take between the faculty and the attendees. Questions & Answers

Sunday, April 25, 2010

6:30–7:00    CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST

7:00–8:00    Writing File Reviews
The faculty will explain and demonstrate a protocol and style physicians can utilize to write high quality file reviews. Included will be a discussion of efficiency, conciseness, and how to express your opinions properly dealing with: the weight of the evidence, collateral evidence, support with objective facts/data and opining on the ability to do past, light, or other work. Questions & Answers

8:00–9:00    Critiques of Attendees’ File Reviews (Cont’d)
In this session, the faculty will review pre-submitted file reviews of the attendees. The attendees and faculty will point out areas of concern and where and how the review can be improved. Questions & Answers

9:00–9:15    BREAK & NETWORKING OPPORTUNITY

9:15–9:30    Effects of Inactivity
A discussion of the latest medical and scientific research of the data on the effects of inactivity and the beneficial effects of work will be presented. Questions & Answers

9:30–10:30    Marketing
A practical discussion of how to obtain high quality work, what the insurance companies are really looking for, and making yourself desirable will be led by the faculty. Questions & Answers BONUS The attendees will be provided with the names and contact information for 100 prime referral sources for file review work. Recommendations will be made as to the best way to solicit and obtain this work.

10:30–10:45    BREAK & NETWORKING OPPORTUNITY

10:45–12:00    Disability Case Studies
The faculty will present disability case studies from differing specialties and work through them with the attendees. Attention will be paid to disability consulting and advanced techniques and strategies to bring to life many of the disability concepts covered in the workshop. Questions & Answers

12:00–12:45    LUNCH PROVIDED WITH FACULTY

12:45–1:45    Practice Setting for Physicians
A frank and lively discussion of the type of file review consulting practices available to physicians (in-house vs. independent) will be presented and the advantages and disadvantages of each will be explained. The faculty will discuss how to start and run a file review consulting practice, working as an employee, and how to find and maintain high quality work. Questions & Answers

1:45–2:30    Takeaways, Conclusion and Evaluation
The faculty will answer any and all outstanding questions. The faculty and attendees will then work together to develop a “bulletpoint” list of the most important concepts, techniques and action steps learned in this workshop. Questions & Answers.