Division of Workers’ Comp Hires UCLA to Study Injured Workers’ Access to Care
[Posted 05/11/06]

The California Division of Workers’ Compensation (DWC) is sponsoring a scientific study about access to medical care for injured workers. The study is being conducted by the highly regarded Center for Health Policy Research, an independent research center at UCLA.

Up to 1,200 physicians will be sampled and surveyed for their opinions about and experiences with providing workers’ compensation care in California. The study includes medical doctors, osteopaths, podiatrists, chiropractors, acupuncturists, and psychologists.

CMA urges selected physicians to participate in this important study. Your responses will help DWC understand the challenges of treating injured workers in California so the agency can make the system more effective for both patients and their health care providers.

The ten-minute survey can be completed on the phone, by mail, or on a secure website. You will be asked about the scope of your workers’ compensation practice, reasons for any changes in that practice, and experiences providing care in the workers’ compensation system. Participants will also be asked to suggest ways to encourage providers to continue to treat work-related injuries and illnesses.

Providers randomly selected for the survey will receive a letter requesting their participation. Participation in the survey is voluntary and confidential and responses will be reported in the aggregate only.