This publication contains guidelines, sample reports, and billing procedures for preparing and conducting impairment ratings and independent medical exams (IME) in Washington's Workers' Compensation system. The activity was planned and produced in accordance with the WSMA Essential Elements, Criteria, and Standards of Accreditation of Continuing Medical Education.

Disclosure: None of the faculty involved with developing this handbook has any financial relationship to disclose nor do they financially benefit from this product.

Impairment ratings use 2 systems

• To rate impairment of extremities for workers covered by L&I, use the 5th Edition of the AMA Guides.
• To rate impairment of the spine, mental health or cognitive function, and other systems, use the category rating systems in the Medical Examiners' Handbook.

Questions? Contact the IME program’s Occupational Nurse Consultant at Carol.Britton@Lni.wa.gov  or 360‑902‑6818.

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Medical Examiners' Handbook and Certification Test

How do I start?

To prepare for the Medical Examiners' Handbook Certification Test, please read the 196-page "Medical Examiners' Handbook".

• Medical Examiners' Handbook F252-001-000 (3.22 MB)

This examination is "open book".  You may find it helpful to print the handbook for reference, as you will be referring to it throughout.

How much time will it take?

After reading the handbook, it should take approximately 30 minutes to complete the activity (24 questions).

When you are ready to begin, click the link below and you will be redirected to My Secure L&I.
• Medical Examiner's Handbook Certification Test
  (worth 3 hours of Category 1 CME credits)

NOTE: You will not be able to return to this page once you've landed on the My Secure L&I page. You'll need to login to begin the test. If you do not already have a secure login, click on the "Sign up" button to register and follow the prompts from there.

Once you've logged in, you'll need to click on the "Add L&I Services to My List" button, which will open a page that lists all the services available to choose from. Select the Medical Examiners Handbook Certification Test.
Then click on "Back to My Secure L&I". The Medical Examiners' Handbook test should now show up in your list of L&I services.
Click on the "Launch" button to begin the test.

 

Questions? Contact the IME program's Medical Program Specialist at Kristen.Baldwin-Boe@Lni.wa.gov or 360-902-6815.