CHSWC, DWC, CMA, and AMA to host AMA guides training in Northern and Southern California

SAN FRANCISCO -- The Commission on Health and Safety and Workers' Compensation (CHSWC), the Division of Workers' Compensation (DWC), the California Medical Association (CMA), and the American Medical Association (AMA) will host two educational seminars entitled "AMA Guides in Workers' Compensation -- A Practical Approach for California."

Recent workers' compensation reform legislation, Senate Bill 899, requires that the administrative director of the DWC adopt a revised permanent disability schedule by January 2005 and that the injury descriptions be based on the AMA guides. It also provides that permanent disability report writing criteria be consistent with the AMA guides.

In light of these reforms, CHSWC, DWC, CMA and AMA, are providing training on the AMA guides. The objective of the educational seminar, to be presented by AMA faculty, is to inform the judges, medical providers, and the workers' compensation community about applying the AMA guides in the California workers' compensation system. Some of the topics to be addressed include key concepts, philosophy and application of the AMA guides, report writing, return-to-work/case management, the medical-legal process, and the California permanent disability rating tool.

The first training is scheduled to take place Nov. 4-5, 2004 at the Anaheim Convention Center and the second training Nov. 8-9, 2004 at the South San Francisco Conference Center.

CHSWC is charged with overseeing the health and safety and workers' compensation systems in California and recommending administrative or legislative modifications to improve their operation. The commission was established to conduct a continuing examination of the workers' compensation system and of the state's activities to prevent industrial injuries and occupational diseases and to examine those programs in other states.

Information about the AMA training is available at CHSWC's home page at www.dir.ca.gov/chswc, by calling (415) 703-4220, or by emailing chswc@dir.ca.gov.

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