Reading Guide for Medical Practitioners - WorkCover Tasmania

Full disclosureA worker who wilfully fails to fully disclose to any treating medical practitioner anyinformation that the worker knows or ought to know is relevant to either the diagnosisor treatment of their injury may be subject to a penalty under the Act.Medical advisory and mentoring serviceA medical advisory and mentoring service may be formed by the Board to provideadvice in respect of the following:• applying evidence-based medical treatment guidelines• identifying appropriate treatment options• identifying the work capacity (including alternative duties) of injured workers• issuing certificates and medical report• obtaining second opinions regarding the diagnosis or treatment of an injuredworker• the compensation scheme established by the Act.Example:Jenny breaks down crying during asurgery visit for attention to a work-relatedinjury to her knee and shoulder.Jenny was certified as totallyincapacitated for work by her medicalpractitioner for a period of 2 months. Sheexplains to her medical practitioner thatshe is worried about the costs of hertreatment and being able to perform herusual duties when she returns to work.Her medical practitioner tells her that if herclaim is accepted, her employer will coverher salary as well as medical andrehabilitation expenses during herrecovery.Jenny’s medical practitioner also explainsto her that she will be provided with aninjury management plan and that heremployer has a nominated injurymanagement coordinator who will keep incontact with her, and coordinate andoversee her injury management program.Jenny’s medical practitioner also explainsthat they will be closely involved in theselection of alternative suitable duties, andadvises that they will be in contact withher injury management coordinator at herworkplace to discuss appropriatealternative duties, and confirms to Jennythat she will have a say in the actualprocess of her injury management plan.Employers are liable for fees for medicaltreatment of injured workers, but a medicalpractitioner may not charge more for aworkers compensation treatment than if itwere a non workers compensation matter(including any discounts).A workers positions must be held open forto 12 months while workers areincapacitated, unless it is highlyimprobable that Jenny will be able toperform her duties or if the reason for theposition no longer exists.Employers must provide suitable alternateduties for injured workers to perform ifreasonably practicable.Workers have the right to open and freeinformation regarding their treatment,injury management plan and return-toworkstatus and their workplace’s insurer.Jenny’s medical practitioner has to includein the certificate the reasons for whyJenny’s period of incapacity is longer than14 days and a date on which theincapacity will be reviewed.Reading Guide for Medical Practitioners Version: 2, June 2010Page 26 of 27