Report Fees – No Charge for Reports
What’s the Catch?
There is no catch. When one physician refers to another physician for a consultation it is common practice for the consulting physician to send a written report of findings to the referring doctor at no charge. The reports are fairly comprehensive and include prognosis, diagnosis and impression. It has always been the policy of SHAW CHIROPRACTIC GROUP that when an attorney refers a client to us for management and treatment that the same courtesy should be extended. The truth is that the majority of patients referred for evaluation require comprehensive care which will offset the lost revenue from complimentary reports. The only time we find it necessary to charge for reports is when exceptional circumstances occur which will require several hours of research or paperwork. This is typically the case when a patient is referred for IMEs, Functional Capacity Examinations, etc. Even then our fee for reports are reasonable.
The same philosophy should apply to any of the doctors with which you work. It is our opinion that physician update reports need to be sent to the attorney at least every four to six weeks. There should be no charge unless an exceptional amount of effort is required. Reports are part of the job and should be expected regularly. From the perspective of a physician, it is a practice building measure in addition to the correct way of doing business. Expect an occasional call from the treating doctor to give you an informal opinion as to the progress the client is making. The information you receive in these informal calls will give you insight into the strength of your client’s case.
Half an hour a week is all it takes to be fully appraised of your case load. It is half an hour well spent and will generate referrals from your doctors and satisfied clients.
