Independent Medical Exams (IMEs) are exams requested by third parties (i.e., lawyers or insurance companies) to confirm the diagnosis of an individual’s injuries sustained during an accident. HealthPointe does not accept direct requests from patients for IMEs.
During an IME, a client will be assessed by a physiatrist—a broad specialist of the brain, spinal cord, nerves, bones, joints, ligaments, muscles and tendons—and a physiotherapist, if needed. The medical team will review any information provided by the third party about the client’s accident, related injuries, medical history, then perform a detailed physical examination. This allows our team to develop a plan for the client’s future medical care, rehabilitation, and potential adjustments in occupational or domestic duties.
HealthPointe’s physiotherapists and physiatrists will not provide any treatment or recommendations directly to the client following the assessment. Instead, once the exam is completed, which can take one-to-two hours, we will provide suggestions and assessment results to the requesting third party.
Additional Information for the Requesting Third Party
To assist HealthPointe in providing you a comprehensive and useful assessment, we ask that you collect detailed medical records, accident and injury reports, accounts of ongoing symptoms, and a relevant medical history for the client.
As a result of our assessments, we will provide recommendations pertaining to the client’s diagnosis, injury causation, impairment, occupational and domestic task difficulties, as well as future treatment recommendations.
It is the third party organization that assumes the costs for requesting the above information, assessments, and opinions.