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Have you ever wondered how a Worker’s Compensation claim is evaluated in California? Or how someone is placed on permanent disability? It’s not just as simple as filling out a form. All claims for permanent disability in California are evaluated by individuals who have had many hours of specialized training. And Dr. Wayne Whalen is not only one of those in the field of chiropractic, but he is an expert qualified to train others to also evaluate those claims.
Dr. Whalen has served as an expert in the California Workers Compensation system for decades and chaired the California Chiropractic Association Workers Compensation Committee for more than 20 years. He currently serves as the Vice President of the California Society of Industrial Medicine and Surgery (CSIMS), the organization which represents QME’s in the state.
The workers’ compensation system relies on state-appointed Qualified Medical Evaluators (QME) to resolve disputes over whether an injury is work-related. These QMEs ultimately are responsible for any disability ratings resulting from such injuries. It can be exacting, complicated work, often requiring the review of thousands of pages of medical records The opinions of QME’s can have a lifelong impact on a patient’s permanent disability rating and work restrictions. Chiropractors, pain doctors, orthopedists, and psychologists are among the specialists who perform this work, which requires special training and passing a state examination.
Dr Whalen recently conducted a course to teach Doctors of Chiropractic (DCs) to be able to sit for the state QME examination. For 20 years, DCs were required to take 44 hours of classwork to do so, while all other specialists, including acupuncturists, were only required to take 12 hours, which could be done online. After 7 years of working with the Division of Workers Compensation, Dr Whalen got the regulation changed to 25 hours, and all other specialists must now take 16 hours of classes.
The most recent course was held at Great Wolf Lodge in Anaheim. Another course is planned for September 2024.
Dr. Whalen has proven himself to be an expert in the field. Let him bring this expertise to work for your chiropractic needs. Contact us to start an examination today.
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