How expert radiology insights and advanced partnerships deliver clearer answers to critical injury questions.
Every workplace injury is a unique situation with its own set of circumstances. When did the injury occur? How did it happen? Are there underlying physical conditions that have been aggravated due to the workplace injury? How much pain is the injured worker experiencing?
Radiology findings that can address those questions often drive critical decisions in workers’ compensation claims, and in treatment plans care teams develop for the injured worker. Cost pressures, reimbursement challenges and increasing workloads for staff are leading to workforce shortages while demand for imaging is rising. Challenges in the radiology market can slow the diagnosis, treatment plan development and the recovery timelines of the injured worker.
One Call, a leading care coordinator of ancillary services for the workers’ compensation industry, is leveraging its Radiology Advisory Board and its strategic partnership with Premier Radiology Services, one of the top independent teleradiology solutions in the U.S., to support clients through these challenges. Insurance companies, third party administrators, and self-insured organizations can gain access to the expertise of subspecialty radiologists, led by Premier’s Chief Medical Officer, Jonathan Luchs, MD, FACR, for Age of Injury radiology reviews and other services.
Dr. Luchs’ prestigious career includes the position of oral board examiner for the American Board of Radiology, a Certificate of Merit from the Radiological Society of North America, and fellowship in the American College of Radiology.
Teleradiology Expands Access to Subspecialists and Age of Injury Reports
Specialized reviews can help distinguish acute trauma from chronic conditions. Distinctions are critical for claims clarity and for care teams building treatment plans. Teleradiology can bring subspecialists with specific expertise into radiology reviews despite the distance.
Radiologists whose practice includes subspecialties, such as musculoskeletal care, bring expertise and experience to review whether radiology findings are acute, chronic or degenerative. Coordinating diagnostic services and specialized imaging reviews can bridge gaps between radiology findings and claims decision-making.
Enter Age of Injury (AOI), a valuable claims management tool that provides much needed clarity regarding the timing of an injury. In an AOI report, an independent radiologist reviews the diagnostic images and interpretation to determine the specific timeframe of an injury, shedding light on whether the injury may be pre-existing or caused by a workplace incident.
“Clarity on the timing of abnormalities – acute, subacute or chronic – has been very helpful for care teams and all those involved in the care of the patient across the workers’ comp workflow,” Dr. Luchs said. “Age of Injury reports translate findings into more accessible language and the summary section of our comments on the findings makes them easy to read.”
The specialized radiologists who prepare Age of Injury (AOI) reports are key components of the injured worker’s journey to recovery and in guiding appropriate claim handling. And the value of AOI reports is being amplified by the demographics of an aging workforce.
“Through teleradiology, we work with leading musculoskeletal radiologists who have typically published significant work in the field and are former academics who bring a level of experience and knowledge that is not available everywhere,” Dr. Luchs said. “They are trained, they read the literature, and they write the literature. If your muscles, bones or joints are injured, you want someone specializing in reading musculoskeletal imaging to review the findings and prepare your AOI report.”
Understanding the challenges and solutions in diagnostic imaging within workers’ compensation today includes reviewing radiology findings to understand the significance of degenerative findings and acute injury along with variability in imaging interpretation. Specialized reviews help distinguish acute trauma from chronic conditions, which is a critical distinction for claims clarity and treatment planning. Age of Injury radiology reviews clarify causation and injury timing to enhance injured worker outcomes.
“In partnering with One Call over the years, I am honored my team and I have the opportunity to work alongside them, contributing in such a meaningful way to their purpose-driven work,” Dr. Luchs said.
Experience simplified care with improved outcomes through One Call by making Age of Injury part of your radiology program.
To get started with AOI today, email us at: AOI@onecallcm.com.
This article first appeared in WorkCompWire.
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About Premier Radiology Services
Premier Radiology Services is a leading provider of teleradiology solutions in outpatient settings across the United States, delivering fast, accurate, and secure medical image interpretations. Founded in 2006 and headquartered in Deerfield Beach, FL, the company interprets over three million medical images annually through a network of more than 200 board-certified and fellowship-trained radiologists. Premier’s innovative technology-enabled platform and dedicated customer care team support healthcare providers nationwide, making it easier for referring physicians to create effective care plans.
About Dr. Luchs
His career includes the position of oral board examiner for the American Board of Radiology, a Certificate of Merit from the Radiological Society of North America, and fellowship in the American College of Radiology, an honor reserved for few radiologists in the U.S.
Dr. Luchs is a fellowship-trained Musculoskeletal (MSK) Radiologist, in practice since 2004, when he finished his fellowship at the Hospital for Special Surgery in NYC. His training included MSK MRI, CT, X-rays and MSK procedures and the interpretation and performance of Musculoskeletal Ultrasound (MSK US) and ultrasound-guided musculoskeletal procedures.
His MSK radiology career began in the world of academics where he was an Asst. Prof. of Clinical Radiology, Chief of MSK Radiology, Med. Dir. of Outpatient Imaging and Radiology Residency Program Director at a hospital in NY for nearly a decade.
Dr. Luchs has co-authored more than 30 research papers published in peer-reviewed journals and has delivered over 60 research presentations at national medical conferences. He has also served as a chair and active member of numerous committees within national medical societies.