California Code of Regulations › Title 8 - Industrial Relations › Division 1 - Department of Industrial Relations › Chapter 1 - Division of Workers' Compensation - Qualified Medical Evaluator Regulations › Article 4.5 - Minimum Time Guidelines › Section 49 - Definitions

Current through Register 2024 Notice Reg. No. 28, July 12, 2024
The following definitions apply to this Article:
(a) Cardiovascular evaluation.
				  "Cardiovascular evaluation" means the determination of disability due to
				  pathological changes of the heart and/or the central circulatory
				  system.
(b) Face to Face time.
				  "Face to face time" means only that time the evaluator is present with an
				  injured worker. This includes the time in which the evaluator performs such
				  tasks as taking a history, performing a physical examination or discussing the
				  worker's medical condition with the worker. Face to face time excludes time
				  spent on research, records review and report writing. Any time spent by the
				  injured worker with clinical or clerical staff who perform diagnostic or
				  laboratory tests (including blood tests or x-rays) or time spent by the injured
				  worker in a waiting room or other area outside the evaluation room is not
				  included in face to face time.
(c)
				  Medical evaluation. "Medical evaluation" means a comprehensive medical-legal
				  evaluation as defined under section
				  9793 of Article 5.6, Subchapter 1,
				  Chapter 4.5 of Title 8 of the California Code of Regulations.
(d) Neuromusculoskeletal evaluation.
				  "Neuromusculoskeletal evaluation" means the determination of disability due to
				  injury to the central nervous systems, the spine and extremities, and the
				  various muscle groups of the body.
(e) Psychiatric evaluation. "Psychiatric
				  evaluation" means the determination of disability due to psychopathology, by
				  either a psychiatrist or psychologist following the Method of Measurement of
				  Psychiatric Disability set out in section
				  43 of Title 8 of the California
				  Code of Regulations.
(f) Pulmonary
				  evaluation. "Pulmonary evaluation" means the determination of disability due to
				  pathological changes of the lungs and/or other components of the respiratory
				  system.
(g) QME. "QME" means
				  Qualified Medical Evaluator appointed by the Administrative Director pursuant
				  to Labor Code section
				  139.2.
(h) Uncomplicated evaluation. "Uncomplicated
				  evaluation" means a face to face evaluation in which all of the following are
				  recorded in the medical report: Minimal or no review of records, minimal or no
				  diagnostic studies or laboratory testing, minimal or no research, and minimal
				  or no medical history taking.
1. Change
					 without regulatory effect relocating article 4.5 heading and renumbering former
					 section 149 to new section
					 49 filed 8-31-94 pursuant to
					 section 100, title 1, California Code of
					 Regulations (Register 94, No. 35).
2. Change without regulatory
					 effect amending article heading filed 9-28-94 pursuant to section
					 100, title 1, California Code of
					 Regulations (Register 94, No. 39).
3. Amendment of subsection (b)
					 filed 4-14-2000; operative 5-14-2000 (Register 2000, No. 15).
4.
					 Amendment of section and NOTE filed 1-13-2009; operative 2-17-2009 (Register
					 2009, No. 3).
Note: Authority cited: Sections
						133,
						139.2 and
						5307.3, Labor
						Code. Reference: Sections
						139.2,
						4060,
						4061,
						4062,
						4062.1,
						4062.2,
						4067,
						4628 and
						4660, Labor
						Code.