Pain and the injured worker.

Physicians who treat injured workers with painful conditions face complex challenges that require skills beyond those of a clinician. To address these challenges effectively, physicians need to understand the logic of workers' compensation systems and the interests of the various participants in the systems. They must be prepared to interface constructively between their patients and the workers' compensation carrier and attend to a multitude of administrative issues.

Evidence-based clinical occupational medicine: updating the ACOEM occupational medicine practice guidelines.

In this article, we review the evolution and application of evidence based medicine and the results of the literature reviews and syntheses incorporated in the second edition of the guidelines. Our intent is to disseminate this information to practitioners treating injured workers and those managing and financing such care and disability management. Use of proven diagnostic, causality, testing,and treatment methods should markedly improve the quality of occupational medical care and make that care more cost effective.

The Washington state workers' compensation system: a case study.

Washington State workers' compensation has researched applying managed care in workers' compensation through a series of research projects. In 1995 and 1996, the managed care project evaluated the impact of managed care on medical outcomes, patient satisfaction, and the cost control of medical care and disability. The managed care project also evaluated the long-term outcome of the cases by reviewing the participants 2 years after the injury.