Causation of Occupational Injuries: Fact & Fiction
July 14, 2008
Hyannis, MA
The Resort and Conference Center at Hyannis
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Executive Summary
This unique preconference is for anyone
who is involved with workers' compensation and occupational health.
Every new workers' compensation case involves the determination of
causation. The evidence based science of causation has been difficult to
assemble. This course will bring together the science of causation, the
law, and the daily application of both. This course is based on the AMA
Press book entitled
Guides to the Evaluation of Disease and Injury Causation
edited by Melhorn and Ackerman.
At the completion of this workshop you
will learn:
� Work-relatedness,
� Definitions for causation:
medical and legal,
� How to review the physical
examination,
� Understand apportionment,
� Be able to prepare the
written report,
� Be able to evaluate the
written report,
� Understand specific
diagnoses.
Distinguished Faculty
J. Mark Melhorn, MD, FAAOS,
FAADEP, FACS, is an occupational orthopaedic physician that
specializes in the hands and upper extremities. He received his BS from
McPherson College and his MD from the University of Kansas. Dr. Melhorn
is board certified in orthopedic surgery with added qualifications in
surgery of the hand. In addition to his practice of orthopaedics at The
Hand Center in Wichita, Kansas, Dr. Melhorn is a Clinical Assistant
Professor, Section of Orthopaedics, Department of Surgery, University of
Kansas School of Medicine - Wichita. He has authored over 350 articles,
chapters, and publications about his research of workplace injuries and
illnesses; return to work options; impairment and disability; and
prevention of musculoskeletal pain in the workplace. He has lectured
extensively to physicians, employers, insurers, administrators, and
legislators on industrial musculoskeletal, upper extremity disorders,
and prevention of musculoskeletal pain (MSDs) in the workplace. He is
currently the program director for the American Academy of Orthopaedic
Surgeons continuing education course on "Occupational Orthopaedics and
Workers' Compensation: A Multidisciplinary Perspective" and for the
American Academy of Disability Evaluating Physicians on "Annual
Scientific Meeting," serves on the Board of Directors for the American
Academy of Disability Evaluating Physicians, the Committee for
Occupational Health for the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons,
Industrial Injuries and Prevention Committee for the American Society
for Surgery of the Hand, Return to Work Committee and the Evidence Based
Practice Committee for the American College of Occupational and
Environmental Medicine, lead contributor section of Upper Extremities
for the American Medical Association's 6th Edition of Guides to the
Evaluation of Permanent Impairment and 5th edition chapter reviewer,
co-section editor for musculoskeletal area of the Medical Advisory Board
for Medical Disability Advisor - Disability Duration Guidelines and the
Official Disabilities Guidelines (ODG) of the Work Loss Data Institute,
Editorial Board of APG Insights Newsletter (designed as supplement,
interpretation and application of the ACOEM Clinical Practice
Guidelines), previous member of the Ergonomic Committee for the American
College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, past president of
the Kansas Orthopedic Society, Continuing Medical Education committee
for AAOS, a Musculoskeletal Chapter Reviewer for the American Medical
Association's 5th Edition of Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent
Impairment, and previous faculty for continuing education courses by
SEAK and American Board of Independent Medical Examiners. Dr. Melhorn is
the co-editor of the text "A Physicians' Guide to Return to Work" AMA
Press (2005), Guides to the Evaluation of Disease and Injury Causation
AMA Press (2007) and is the lead author for the Upper Extremity Chapter
in the 6th Edition of the AMA Guides to Impairment.
Tuition
The $395 tuition includes a continental breakfast,
breaks, lunch with faculty, a detailed manual which can be retained
as a bookshelf reference, and a dynamic learning experience.
Click here for registration information.
Continuing Education Information
Case Managers:
6.5 contact hours of continuing education
for Case Managers have been applied for from the Commission for Case
Manager Certification, Rolling Meadows, Illinois.
Disability Specialists:
6.5 contact hours of continuing
education for Disability Specialists have been applied for from the
Commission for Disability Management Specialists Commission, Rolling
Meadows, Illinois.
Human Resource Professionals:
This program has been approved for 6.25
recertification credit hours toward PHR, SPHR and GPHR recertification
through the Human Resource Certification Institute (HRCI).
Nurses:
To successfully complete a program
and receive contact hours you must: 1) register in, 2) be present for
the period of time you are awarded contact hours, 3) complete the
evaluation.
Occupational Health Nurses: 6.5
60-minute contact hours of continuing education have been applied for
through the American Association of Occupational Health Nurses, Inc. (AAOHN).
AAOHN is an accredited approver of continuing education by the American
Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation.
Physical Therapists:
Continuing Physical Therapy credits
vary by state, and will only be applied for if requested in writing on
the conference registration form.
Physicians:
SEAK, Inc. is accredited by the
Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide
continuing medical education for physicians. SEAK, Inc. designates this
educational activity for a maximum of 6.75 AMA PRA Category 1�
Credits. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the
extent of their participation in the activity.
Rehabilitation
Counselors: 6.5 contact hours
of continuing education hours for Rehabilitation Counselors have been
applied for from the Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor
Certification, Rolling Meadows, Illinois.
Rehabilitation Nurses:
This program will be accepted for
6.5 contact hours of credit for ARN certification. Submit certificate.
Monday, July 14, 2008
7:00-8:00Registration and Continental Breakfast
8:00-9:00Introduction and
Background
Attendees will
learn how to determine work-relatedness based on medical and legal
definitions. The science of causation associations will be
discussed.
9:00-10:00Methodology,
Apportionment, and Physical Examination
The medical record will be reviewed for what
should be included to allow for a determination of causation in a
specific case. In other words, how you take the science and apply
the information to a specific individual.
10:00-10:20BREAK &
NETWORKING OPPORTUNITY
10:20-11:10Writing the
Report
Expanding on the previous hour, the medical
record should now reflect a clear statement regarding causation and
appropriate treatments.
11:10-12:00Spine Examples
Specific cases
will be discussed.
12:00-1:10LUNCH PROVIDED
WITH FACULTY
1:10-2:00Lower Limb
Examples
Specific cases will be discussed.
2:00-3:00Upper Limb
Examples
Specific cases will be discussed.
3:00-3:15BREAK &
NETWORKING OPPORTUNITY
3:15-4:00How to Approach
Causation Issues
A summary of the day.
4:00-4:30Your
Cases
Attendees
encouraged to bring their difficult cases for group discussion and
review using the approaches discussed in "How to Approach Causation
Issues."