Frequently asked questions

What's a "QME"?

• QME is often used for "Qualified Medical Evaluator" or "Qualified Medical Examination"

• QME evaluations are medical-legal evaluations conducted by independent Board Certified physicians (or psychologists, or other QME doctors) designated by the State of California to be QME physicians.

Becoming certified as a QME physician:

• QME physicians are certified by the State of California Division of Workers’ Compensation (DWC) Medical Unit, which is a division under the California Department of Industrial Relations. QME physicians become QME certified by taking an exam, completing some course hours, and providing necessary application information.

What's a work comp evaluation? What's a Panel QME evaluation?

• QME physicians evaluate injured workers as part of a work comp evaluation, providing information in the form of QME evaluations (reports) and occasional depositions.

• The QME evaluations inform others whether a worker is injured, if the injury is work-related, and other necessary information for the legal process.

• The Panel QME evaluations are QME evaluations referred by the State that are mandated by law to be reimbursed by the workers’ compensation insurance at a pre-designated rate.

• A panel QME evaluation referral from the State is triggered when a worker has a claim for a workers’ compensation injury, and there are remaining medical questions.

Does a Doctor need to "choose sides"?

• The QME evaluation system changed in recent years so that the physician is no longer positioned to be “pro-applicant” or “pro-defense” because sides no longer choose their physicians. Rather, the physician is more like an mediator applying the law as fitting for the mental health condition of the employee to the workers’ compensation in the legal disagreement.

• What does a first interview look like?

  • • A doctor conducting psyche exams is a regular psyche eval with some additional types of questions about occupational issues.

    • To assist the conducting doctor Doctor's Own is making a proprietary template to guide the doctor through the various requirements of the medical legal report. Thus, simplifying the process for the conducting physician. In addition, Doctor's Own assists with administering psychological testing paperwork at the time of the interview.

• General process after an interview?

  • • After the interview, in most cases, the physician has a month to write the report. The doctor can do the report writing almost anywhere or anyplace on their laptop. For Doctor’s Own, an educational learning management system is utilized to streamline the necessary information needed for their reports.

    • Once the doctor completes their draft, Doctor’s Own provides grammar check for you. Then the doctor finalizes the report and to get paid. It is important for the doctor to track their time to report once the report has been finalized. Then, Doctor’s Own puts together the final medical-legal report that is required by the state to accept the doctor's report. Doctor's Own then makes the final calculations, sends out billing, collecting at close to a 100% reimbursement rate (since QME evaluations are State-mandated that the insurances need to pay).

• Anything being left out?

  • • YES! The business end of Doctor's Own Supportive Services and the administrative work that it completes. However, the doctor acquires Doctor's Own in order for the administrative work necessary.

• What's an AME?

• AME evaluations are similar to QME evaluations but occur when two opposing lawyers decide upon a physician, and agree upon that physician, rather than to get the referral through the panel QME system.

• The best QME reports are clear, address all the pertinent issues, are responsive to the stakeholders’ administrative needs, and detail the physician’s interpretation of the law as applied to the current situation with a worker. AME physicians are highly regarded for their objectivity.

Sounds complicated, who can help me?

• • • Doctor's Own Supportive Services is an administrative company and contact us for more information.