DWC Launches Updated Online Education Module for Physicians Treating Injured Workers

The Division of Workers’ Compensation (DWC) today launched an updated free online education course for physicians treating patients in the California workers’ compensation system.

“Caring for California’s Injured Workers: Using California’s Medical Treatment Utilization Schedule (MTUS) 2019” is one of a series of education modules developed for medical doctors, chiropractors and nurses. The course is also available to anyone else wishing to learn about the MTUS, and a completion certificate is available. The MTUS is the primary source of guidance for treating physicians and physician reviewers for the evaluation and treatment of injured workers. The MTUS incorporates evidence-based treatment guidelines of the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM), which are published by the ReedGroup.

“All medical providers who treat injured California workers should understand and follow the MTUS. The online course is a convenient tool for providers to learn how to use the treatment guidelines and formulary that are designed to improve medical outcomes for injured workers,” said DWC Executive Medical Director Dr. Raymond Meister.

Medical doctors, chiropractors and nurses who take the course will receive up to one and a half hours of free CME credit. Qualified medical evaluators (QMEs) may report up to one and one half hours of credit for QME reappointment. The course is also available to anyone else wishing to learn about the MTUS, and a completion certificate is available.

The education module covers:

What the MTUS is, how to use it, and how you may be able to obtain free online access to the MTUS-ACOEM treatment guidelines
How to navigate the MTUS-ACOEM treatment guidelines and apply recommendations for patient care
The MTUS Drug Formulary
When to consider recommendations outside of the MTUS guidelines for the care of your patient
The role of utilization review (UR) and independent medical review (IMR) physicians

Access to the physician education module can be found on the DWC website.

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Office Name	Topic	Phone Numbers
Cal/OSHA	Workplace Safety and Health	833-579-0927
Labor Commissioner's Office	Wages, breaks, retaliation and labor laws	833-526-4636
Division of Workers' Compensation	Benefits for work-related injuries and illnesses	1-800-736-7401
Office of the Director	Any other topic related to the Department of Industrial Relations	844-522-6734