In order to ensure high quality independent medical examinations, the department shall only approve an IME provider number for persons, firms, partnerships, corporations or other legal entities that meet the following qualification requirements:
(1) Providers who wish to bill or get paid for independent medical examinations or related services must apply for and receive an IME provider number. Issuance of an IME provider number does not guarantee IME referrals.
(2) Providers must have and maintain a current license to practice in the state in which they conduct IMEs and meet at least one of the two following requirements:
(a) Board certification in their medical specialty; or
(b) A minimum of an average of eight hours per week over the past two years of direct patient care in their medical specialty (excluding IMEs).
(3) Only providers in the following practice specialties who meet all other requirements may perform IMEs;
| Doctors licensed to practice: |
| Examiner is: | Medicine & surgery | Osteopathic medicine & surgery | Podiatric medicine & surgery | Chiropractic | Dentistry |
| In Washington | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Not in Washington | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
(4) A provider licensed to practice chiropractic in Washington must also meet all the following requirements:
(a) Be a chiropractic consultant for the department for at least two years;
(b) Take an impairment rating course approved by the department; and
(c) Attend the department's chiropractic consultant and examiners' seminar during the twenty-four months prior to application.
(5) Business requirements:
(a) Providers must conduct independent medical examinations only in a professional office suitable for medical, dental, podiatric, chiropractic or psychiatric examinations where the primary use of the examination site is for medical services; not residential, commercial, educational or retail in nature. The site must have, at a minimum, adequate access, climate control, light, space and equipment to provide for the comfort and safety of the injured/ill worker and provide the privacy necessary for workers to discuss their medical issues.
(b) Providers must comply with all federal and state laws, regulations and other requirements with regard to business operations, including specific requirements for business operations for the provision of medical services.
(c) Providers must have a private disrobing area and adequate provision of examination gowns.
(d) Providers must have telephone answering capability during regular business hours, Monday through Friday, in order to facilitate scheduling of independent medical examinations and means for workers to contact the provider regarding their scheduled examination. If the office is open on Saturday, telephone access must be available.
(e) In order to be assigned an IME provider number, an IME firm, partnership, corporation or other legal entity must have a medical director. The medical director must be a licensed provider and be responsible to provide oversight on the quality of independent medical examinations, impairment ratings and reports.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 51.32.055, 51.32.112, 51.32.114, 51.36.060, and 51.36.070. 04-04-029, § 296-23-317, filed 1/27/04, effective 3/1/04.]