Case Management

Welcome & thank you for your time in viewing these web pages to determine if we are a right fit in working together.  Below is a synopsis of our procedures to show our due diligence.

The professionals at Synergy Wellness Clinic have multiple decades in collective experience handling personal injury (PI) cases. We handle all types of PI cases, motor vehicle accidents (MVA), work comp, slip and falls, and assault / battery. We make sure that all of your clients are treated with the utmost respect, get the proper work up, specialist referrals, diagnostic imaging, and are well taken care of in terms of treatment. 

INITIAL ENCOUNTER 

When you refer your client to us for care, they will be asked to fill out our paperwork and we make sure to gather all the necessary documents, identification(s), and paperwork in order to correctly process the information. We always ask for some form of photo identification and insurance cards, which are scanned in our computer and inserted in the medical-legal chart.

For MVA's, we will call the auto insurance company to verify eligibility of PIP benefits during the time and date of the accident in question. Your clients will be asked to fill out the appropriate PIP paperwork such as the Standard PIP Disclosure & Acknowledgement form, etc. We will send out a 21 Day Notice of Initiation of Treatment via certified mail return, which, again, are all scanned into the computer and inserted in their file.  

If your clients have been to any hospital or other physician's office before coming to us, we ask you and or them to provide us with any hospital discharge papers, prescriptions, diagnostic imaging (x-rays, MRI's CT scans etc.), and police / incident reports, which are also scanned in the computer and inserted into their file. 

For letter of protection (LOP) cases, there is a need to have a discussion about the particulars of the case and assess my risk. If I decide to treat the LOP case (determined after the evaluation of your client) then I will need you to sign my the patient-signed copy of the LOP for your signature on the same day of your client's initial visit with us to assure payment of the services provided to your client. I will then also work hard to make sure your client gets the best care possible.

All patients will commence with an initial consultation and a detailed physical examination which takes about 30 minutes, depending on the severity of the case. If they haven't had x-rays then we will order it and proceed with treatment. The patient will be explained in detail the importance of adhering to the recommended treatment plan and how failing to do so will have a negative impact on their case. We explain that we will call them to remind them of their appointments but that after repeated no-shows we will have to call their attorney in order to keep the attorney informed of their client's compliance with treatment.  

TREATMENT, DOCUMENTATION, & CASE MANAGEMENT

I write an initial report on all PI cases to document the history, mechanism of injury, physical exam findings, diagnostic imaging findings, diagnoses, causality / apportionment, treatment plan, treatment frequency, and prognosis. Our treatment regiment ensures that all necessary specialists and diagnostic imaging center are properly introduced into the case. If your client is expressing any neurological signs and or symptoms, we assure that they are referred to a neurologist, either to one you prefer working with or to one of my choosing. The same goes for all the other specialist, whether it be a spinal surgeon, an orthopedist, a neurosurgeon, a psychiatrist / psychologist, or any other specialty needed.      

We encourage open dialogue between the professionals involved in treating and assessing your client's condition in order to share our respective clinical impressions. Consistency in diagnosis, prognosis, and clinical approach is very important to maintain a unified front. If the different physicians saying something different then the case looses strength. 

Some PI attorneys like to receive periodic examination reports and others take it at the end of the case. I always send out the initial report to the insurance companies and my patients' attorneys in order to communicate not only my findings and interpretations but to lay out my treatment plan and clinical approach. It is also an indication of the detail I put into my documentation. 

BILLING,  MAILING, & COMMUNICATION

All mail is sent to the insurance companies via certified mail with return receipt of the receiver's signature. When we bill for PIP we make sure that the claims are sent out before the 30 days after the date of services. In the event that there is a need to send out a demand letter or for PIP suits, I offer you the opportunity to handle it if you and or your firm handle them but if not then I will send it to a PIP suit attorney.

For LOP's with health insurance I don't mind doing subrogation because I get paid a little faster. If your preference is to avoid subrogation I don't mind it but the bills will be sent to you.

We have everything scanned into the computer ready to email to you. If you prefer not to communicate via email and prefer fax instead that's fine. If you prefer to communicate with letters mailed through the USPS then that's fine too. I prefer to communicate via email because it's fast, inexpensive, and saves more trees which is better for the planet.

WRAPPING IT UP

After your client has seen everybody they needed to see, I will gather all of the reports from the specialists and board certified imaging diagnosticians to include in my final report. In the final report, I include an impairment rating from the American Medical Association's Guides to the Evaluation and Permanent Impairment. I can use either the sixth or fifth edition. I will send you copies of the medical record with a final ledger or bill with balance that reflects any payment from the insurance company, if applicable.

If your request for records can be sent electronically via email then I do not charge for copies. If you prefer paper to me mailed, an invoice will be sent with the amount to be paid. Once we receive your check and it clears the bank then records will be sent. If I do enough business with you or you sent me the case then copies of records are done gratis. 

Negotiating my balance is evaluated on a case by case basis.

I hope that I have been able to give you some insight as to how I work and I hope that we can work together in helping people recover from damage. Thanks again for your time and consideration.