Division of Workers' Compensation And UCLA Center For Health Policy Research Study

Oakland - The California Division of Workers’ Compensation (DWC) is urging injured workers and physicians to take part in a scientific study about access to medical care in the workers’ compensation system. The study, sponsored by DWC, is being conducted by the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research. Up to 1,200 injured workers and 1,200 physicians will be randomly sampled for the study. The study will also sample a representative number of workers’ compensation insurers, self-insured employers and third party administrators.

“The information we gather will tell us whether workers injured in California have access to quality care,” said DWC Executive Medical Director Dr. Anne Searcy. “It’s vital that injured workers and physicians selected for the study participate because their responses will help us make decisions on important issues.”

A recently enacted California law requires the DWC to contract with an independent consulting firm to perform an annual study of access to medical treatment for injured workers. Researchers began collecting data for this first study under that law from physicians in April, and began surveying injured workers in May. The final report for the first year will be completed in the fall of 2006. The study findings will serve as a baseline for an ongoing effort to monitor and describe trends in access to quality medical care in workers’ compensation cases, and will provide necessary information to state regulators engaged in rulemaking. Read more at dir.ca.gov