California Work Comp Doctors Walk Tightrope

Medical Provider Networks (MPN's) are scheduled to start Jan. 1, 2005 in California where doctors must satisfy the needs of captive injured workers and satisfy the cost effectiveness of treatment or they are out the door.

(PRWEB) October 25, 2004 -- Caught between employers and injured workers, work comp doctors have always practiced diplomacy to maintain equanimity. But now the situation is worse than ever. Employers in California select who will care for their workers. With suspicions raised because of high insurance premiums employers are looking for a quick fix from the recently passed legislation SB 899. This puts the medical providers on the sacrificial block as potential scapegoats if savings arent realized.

A recently published book, Strategies in Workers Compensation", appears on the scene to help with this dilemma. It provides a guide for medical providers and various stakeholders in dealing with the difficult patient in Workers Compensation which comprise 10% of injured workers. But, they account for 60-80% of the costs.

The book was written by Richard E Sall MD who is board certified in Occupational Medicine, General Surgery, and Forensic Medicine. His experience and training has resulted in an extensive knowledge of workers compensation and the many pitfalls associated with it. He feels that managing the difficult patient is the key to controlling costs in the system. He is currently practicing in Southern California.

The price of the book is $27.00 and is available by the publisher: Hamilton Books at www.univpress.com. If ordered online there is a 15% discount.

An imprint of University Press of America 4501 Forbes Blvd., Suite 200 Lanham, Maryland 20706.

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