Medical services

The role of a medical provider

Medical practitioners are responsible for the overall management of a worker's treatment and play an important role in the recovery and return to work process. This includes:

• providing emergency and clinical care of the injury/illness
• determining the best method of rehabilitation
• assessing capacity for work and providing workers' compensation medical certificates
• advising the employer, where appropriate, to develop a return to work program
• referring the worker to allied health or other services if needed.

Getting back to work is an important step in recovering from a work-related injury can be a difficult and emotional journey for a worker. It's important for you to explain to the worker what is needed for them to return to work and to listen to any concerns they may have about rehabilitation.

Doctors who communicate with the worker, employer, WorkCover and other allied health providers make a positive difference to the rehabilitation process. To further improve the rehabilitation process:

• provide proactive, realistic, goal-orientated rehabilitation that focuses on the worker returning to work
• communicate regularly and openly with the worker, WorkCover and the employer representative
• provide reports, feedback and updates on the worker’s progress and/or any amendments to their treatment plan
• follow the Q-COMP table of costs
• participate in case conferencing as requested.

You can also visit the worker’s workplace as part of their injury management plan, which is billable under the workers' compensation system.

We pay for services outlined in the table of costs and only cover costs associated with the accepted work-related injury. 

Information on what we pay and how to invoice us.

 Guidelines

• If you arrange further medical investigations, forward a copy of the results to us.
• MRI scans can only be referred by specialists—if an urgent referral is required, the specialist needs to complete the MRI referral form.
• You need prior approval for private hospitalisation.
• As the treating surgeon, you need to:
  • complete the request for surgery form (it's mandatory to answer all questions)
  • provide the surgical item number/s for the proposed surgery
  • submit your theatre notes with relevant accounts (there is no longer a fee associated with completing this form).
• Surgical procedures should be invoiced according to the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS).
• Referrals are required for treatment with other allied health providers, including:
  • physiotherapists
  • chiropractors
  • occupational therapists
  • exercise physiologists.

We may arrange for additional medical guidance from our Medical Advisory Panel (MAP) or an independent medical examination. As the treating doctor, you will be advised if these opinions are being sought and of any recommendations.

If a worker says their injury was caused by work, you need to complete a workers' compensation medical certificate. This is a legal document used by Queensland’s workers’ compensation insurers to help determine and manage a claim.

This medical certificate tells us:

• if the patient has a work related injury
• if they should be off work
• what we can pay for (for example lost wages, doctors fees, hospital, or rehabilitation interventions)
• how long we can pay the worker.

Sample medical certificates and other information about completing medical certificates is available on the Q-COMP website. Doctors should contact Q-COMP on 1300 789 881 to inquire about the electronic version of the certificate or to request more workers’ compensation medical certificates.

Submit a medical certificate or medical report online.

To help make a decision on or manage a claim, we may request a medical report from you. We use these reports to learn more about the ‘injury’ and the worker's condition. Medical reports need to be clear, informative and received as quickly as possible.

We will ask questions about:

• the worker's incapacity
• any injury management to date
• circumstances surrounding the 'event' causing the injury (the injured worker will give the examining doctor an account of how the injury occurred)
• previous or similar injuries
• when and how a worker can return to work
• if relevant, any potential permanent impairment from the injury.

You'll receive a report request from us with specific questions. All requested reports are paid in line with the Q-COMP medical table of costs and are potentially subject to release in accordance with our privacy policy.

Report writing for a physical injury claim

Report writing for a psychiatric injury claim

Orthopaedic reporting template