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NEWSLINE
Release Number: 2021-101
Date: October 11, 2021

DWC Launches Update to the Online Education Module for Qualified Medical Evaluators

The Division of Workers' Compensation (DWC) has launched an update to the online physician education course, “Evaluating California’s Injured Workers: Qualified Medical Evaluators.” This course is strongly recommended for all California Qualified Medical Evaluators (QMEs). It is available to the public and is especially valuable for attorneys, claims administrators and medical providers participating in the California workers' compensation system.

“Evaluating California's Injured Workers: Qualified Medical Evaluators (QME)” is an educational module developed for medical doctors, chiropractors and nurses. QMEs play a critical role in resolving disputes within the workers' compensation system.

The online education will cover:

  • How to prepare for an evaluation and outline the components of a quality report
  • The concept of apportionment and how to apportion to causation of disability
  • What constitutes substantial medical evidence and how it applies to apportionment
  • Potential bias and how to avoid it in your medical-legal reports
  • Administrative regulations to stay in compliance as a QME

This activity has been approved for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit as well as 2 hours of QME continuing education credit.

Access to the physician education module can be found on the DWC website. Also, available on the website is an education module, “Caring for California's Injured Workers: Using California's Medical Treatment Utilization Schedule (MTUS).”

This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the accreditation requirements and policies of the California Medical Association (CMA) through the joint providership of the Center for Occupational and Environmental Health (COEH) and State of California Department of Industrial Relations’ Division of Workers’ Compensation. The Center for Occupational and Environmental Health is accredited by the CMA to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

The Center for Occupational and Environmental Health designates this enduring material for a maximum of 2 AMA PRA category 1 Credit(s). Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.