From The Wall Street Journal Medical Consultants Network Inc. coordinates independent medical examinations used to settle workers' compensation, auto-accident and disability claims. Afterward, MCN produces a report that determines the appropriate length of the disability, rehabilitation period, or job limitation.
Insurers use the reports to contain costs.
Psychiatrist Brian Grant founded MCN in 1985 and for eight years ran it while maintaining a full-time medical practice. But as MCN's president, Dr. Grant was facing uncertain growth of independent medical exams, rising competition, and market consolidation. Large suppliers of a variety of cost-containment services, including independent medical exams, were merging. One company was rolling up the market with acquisitions of small providers of such exams. Preferring to remain independent, Dr. Grant in 1996 had turned down an offer to acquire his company.