Sustaining an injury or becoming ill due to a workplace incident or workplace environment has to be handled differently than a typical injury. Workers in New York State have rights available to them to help put them back on the road to recovery and should be utilized to the best of their ability. During this time it is important to know and understand New York State’s Medical Treatment Guidelines. To ensure your injury and time out of work is being handled properly, injured workers are advised to work with a workers’ compensation attorney .
New York Workers’ Compensation Medical Treatment Guidelines FAQs
The use of Medical Treatment Guidelines was made mandatory in 2010 and is important for every injured worker to understand. While there are many aspects and questions surrounding the topic of New York workers’ compensation Medical Treatment Guidelines, we have found these questions to be among the most frequently asked.
1. What are Medical Treatment Guidelines (MTG)? For injured workers in New York, the Guidelines outline standard care and treatment based on the best available medical evidence and the consensus of experienced medical professionals.
2. Are the Medical Treatment Guidelines mandatory for all work-related injuries and/or illnesses? Using the Guidelines is mandatory for treatment to specific parts of the body, such as: the knee, shoulder, neck, mid to lower back. It is also mandatory for many injuries and diseases including Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
3. If the worker needs immediate treatment from an emergency room, do the Guidelines apply? In urgent circumstances where injured workers seek treatment from an ER, the medical professionals do not need to adhere to the Guidelines.
4. How does an injured worker use the Medical Treatment Guidelines? The medical professional who treats the injury and/or illness has to familiarize themselves with the Guidelines in order to render services that are consistent with what is outlined. While completing the necessary forms, it is ideal for the medical provider to include the Guideline codes for each requested tests and/or treatments.
5. What happens if the injured worker changes their treating medical professional mid-treatment? The treatment and services performed by the new professional would be a continuation of the timeline and treatment schedule of the original doctor. The new provider is expected to access the initial provider’s records to ensure continuity of care.
To successfully navigate your workers’ compensation claim and receive the care and treatment that is deserved, our attorneys stay up to date with the New York State Workers’ Comp Board Guidelines. There are situations that may require treatment that does not follow along as outlined with the MTG, for such occurrences the medical provider will need to apply for a variance. The best course of action for these situations is to have an experienced attorney working on your behalf. Contact us today to schedule your consultation.
