Many times in a workers’ compensation case, the authorized treating physician is not capable of treating the injury of the injured worker. This mainly occurs when an injured worker is treating with an emergency care facility such as Choice Care, Concentra, or Caduceus. After initial treatment, these clinics will often refer the injured worker to a specialist. The law in Georgia requires the Employer and or the Insurance Company to authorize this referral.
This is very important for two reasons: 1) An Injured Worker is allowed only one switch in doctors if the Employer maintained a valid posted panel of physicians. In other words, the Injured Worker can only change doctors one time and have the Insurance Company pay for it. Getting a referral from a treating doctor does not count against this one time change and will give the Injured Worker more options of doctors. 2) This can allow for better medical treatment for the Injured Worker.
As an attorney who practices in the field of workers’ compensation, I see many of the same doctors on panels of physicians. To put it mildly, many of these doctors have become jaded by the ‘system’ and in my opinion, do not provide the best treatment for the Injured Worker. In fact, their opinion is almost a forgone conclusion and I have many clients complain to me that their doctor “did not even listen to me.” Using this referral, the Injured Worker can attempt to steer their medical treatment to a more objective doctor who will both listen to them and give them appropriate treatment.
In conclusion, obtaining a referral from the current authorized treating physician does not mean that doctor has to be off the panel, and it may give the Injured Worker better medical treatment ot help them get better.