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Two medical practitioners have run afoul of the Division’s Medical Quality Review Panel in recent months, both for having made unnecessary referrals.
On September 3, 2019, Wilson A. Cochrane, a Physician Assistant, was the subject of an audit pertaining to nine cases in which he ordered lumbar MRI’s. The Panel determined that in 100% of those cases, the ordered MRI was not reasonable or necessary, as at least one month of conservative therapy had not yet been administered. Mr. Cochrane’s failure to apply the Official Disability Guidelines appropriately resulted in an administrative violation and a fine of $3,000.00.
In August 2019, Al Jameson, D.C., was scrutinized for his tendency to refer work comp claimants out for further testing in his capacity as a designated doctor. In ten audited cases, he was found to have made unnecessary referrals 100% of the time. It was determined that Dr. Jameson had not adequately explained in any of his designated doctor reports why the referrals for additional testing were necessary to resolve the questions posed to him. The Panel concluded that he had committed a violation each time he made unnecessary referrals to other healthcare providers for additional treatment or testing, and for failing to explain as much in his DD reports. Dr. Jameson was removed from the Designated Doctor List for two years.
Copyright 2019, Stone Loughlin & Swanson, LLP