VP Medical Consulting concentrates on delivering affordable medical management and legal nurse assistance  for individuals, employers, attorneys, and insurers to help them in the pursuit of appropriate and effective health care treatment and management. Click on one of our services below for a sample of the services we offer. Click on the menu to the left for a complete listing of our medical consulting services. Life Care Planning A Life Care Plan is a tool used for the purpose of estimating medical and non-medical needs of the person with a catastrophic injury. It is a tool used to project costs and frequency of needed goods and services over an estimated life span. Life Care Planning allows adjusters and attorneys to plan for the future of their disabled individuals with the knowledge of when and how the expenditures for care will be allocated, allowing for financial planning and the setting of reserves from provider sources. Life Care Plans also provide an excellent tool for claim settlement negotiations. Highly qualified nurse professionals with VP Medical Consulting are able to accurately establish and quantify medical damages resulting from an injury. We provide a detailed outline of the current and future medical, vocational, educational and psychosocial needs of a catastrophically ill or injured individual, while projecting the related costs annually or over the individual’s life expectancy. Nurse Life Care Planners provide the following: A comprehensive home visit assessment with the client and significant others to collect subjective and objective data. The team approach is applied with input from various Health Care Providers. Additional Services Nursing assessment and diagnosis is based on data from observation, examinations, interviews and written records. Estimating medical costs and non-medical needs of the person with a catastrophic injury. Projected costs and frequency of needed goods and services over an estimated life span. If needed, residential life time care cost analysis. In-depth medical and nursing literature research that provide scientific foundation for all life care plans. The Nurse Practice Act and Nurse Life Care Planning We at VP Medical Consulting believe a nurse is best suited as a Life Care Planner. Nursing is a scientific discipline as well as a profession. Registered nurses employ critical thinking to integrate objective data with knowledge gained from an assessment of the subjective experiences of patients. Registered nurses use this critical thinking process to apply the best available evidence and research data to the processes of diagnosis and treatment. Nurses continually evaluate quality and effectiveness of nursing practice and seek to optimize outcomes. Furthermore, Nurse Life Care Planners are governed by the Scope of the Nurse Practice Act. The Nursing: Scope and Standards of Practice delineates the professional responsibilities of all professional registered nurses engaged in nursing practice, regardless of the setting. An objective of the nursing profession is to achieve positive patient outcomes that maximize one’s quality of life across the entire life-span. Registered Nurses facilitate the interdisciplinary and comprehensive care provided by healthcare professionals. In other instances, nurses engage in consultation with other colleagues to inform decision-making and planning to meet patient care needs. As Registered Nurses we can make nursing diagnosis and provide rational for each and every recommended service in a Life Care Plan further supporting the plan and preventing unnecessary scrutiny. Medicare Set Aside Coordinating Medicare and workers’ compensation benefits is a complex challenge for any claims adjuster. Settlements involving Social Security Disability, or Medicare eligibly claimants must meet criteria set forth by CMS (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services) when one is seeking to limit or close future benefits. Worker’s Compensation carriers are required to consider and protect the interests of Medicare when settling Workers Compensation claims. Under Federal law, any entity found not to have protected Medicare interests in future medical costs can be held liable for double damages. In order to protect Medicare interests, an appropriate amount of settlement money must be “set-aside” for the payment of future medical costs that would otherwise be Medicare compensable. And under certain circumstances, the amount to be set aside must be approved by Medicare. To assist Worker’s Compensation carriers in meeting these obligations, our Medicare Set-Aside Program determines the appropriate set-aside amount based on an expert analysis of the condition, current treatment, projected future treatment, and life expectancy. Our highly trained staff of set-aside allocators is then able to secure Medicare approval through a Medicare Set-Aside Proposal submitted to CMS. Services include: Review of records Determination as to qualified individual under Medicare guidelines Lien investigation and negotiations Medicare Set Aside projection allocation CMS submission Claimant education Medical Case Management Our team of nurse case managers can assist you in returning employees to the workplace healthy and productive. This in turn will help reduce your injury and disability related costs. Workers' compensation case management focuses on returning the injured worker to work as quickly as possible since the direct and indirect costs of a claim can be high for an employer. The employer is paying not only for the medical and wage replacement benefits, but for lost productivity. The nurse case manager acts as the liaison between the injured worker, employer, claim representative, healthcare providers, and often attorneys that may be involved as well. Case management can provide a wealth of information essential for for good claims management. Case management facilitates integrated treatment plans to achieve the combined objectives of quality care, return to work, and cost effectiveness. Coordination of Services IME-Independent Medical Evaluation Second Opinion Peer Review Functional Capacity Evaluation RED FLAGS FOR CASE MANAGEMENT INTERVENTION Relationship of accident to injury is unclear Medical guidelines indicate the treatment may be excessive Treatment plan is not clear or definitive Lost time over 30 days Indications exist for an Independent Medical Examination (IME) Multiple medical conditions with multiple diagnoses exist Treatment is unusual or excessive Multiple medical providers and ancillary services Possibility of pre-existing conditions Delay in return to work Medical and non-medical issues seem to complicate recovery Recovery is slow without medical indication Medical treatment does not correlate with accident, injury or disability facts Treating providers have failed to provide medical information or clarification despite requests Failure to follow the medical treatment plan Unwillingness to communicate by the claimant or physician Unusual medical conditions Suspicion of intervening incident Failure to move from light duty to transitional or full duty Catastrophic injuries Private Care Management Private Care management is a collaborative approach to providing and coordinating health care services. A nurse case manager will work with you, your family, physicians and other health care providers to ensure you or your family member receives all the necessary services to promote your health and oversee any illnesses or health conditions. The nurse case manager serves as your advocate and liaison between you and the providers of your health care services. In today's health care environment, it can be overwhelming to navigate the system. You may not know all the questions to ask the physician or you may not be familiar with the vast array of services available to meet your needs. Medical language is often unfamiliar and physicians often do not spend enough time educating you on the complexities of your illness. The nurse case manager bridges the gap to assure that you have all the information you need to make well-informed health care decisions. Additionally, the nurse case manager provides links to other resources and services to assure your or your family member has their needs met. The nurse case manager helps you understand and cope with the medical, insurance, and emotional issues confronting you. A comprehensive assessment is performed and recommendations to enhance your health care and living situation provided. A clear plan for coordinating your health care and maintaining or improving your health is provided. What a Private Care Manager can do for you… Prevent unnecessary services or treatment Obtain your medical records and interpret them for you Educate you and your family to managing your own medical care and get the most out of your physician appointments Review medications for possible side effects and contraindications Explain medical exams and diagnostic testing Obtain appropriate medical care services Secure necessary medical supplies and equipment Obtain assistance with homemaking and personal care needs such as bathing, dressing, and grooming. Obtain assistance with running personal errands Coordinate health care service delivery and medical follow-up Arrange for transportation to and from doctor appointments Obtain home care nursing services Evaluate an individual's safety and ability to live independently Example Cases A family’s college aged daughter was living in Texas and complained regularly of significant health problems. The parents were concerned about the treatment she had been receiving and had not gotten a definitive diagnosis. They had a feeling there was something more going on. The family contacted VP Medical Consulting. Medical records were obtained and reviewed. Explanations for the medical diagnosis and treatments were given. It was also evident with the chronology of complaints that a specialist would be appropriate. The girl obtained an appointment with the specialist and was properly diagnosed and treated which resulted in a resolution of her complaints. An 75-year-old female lived in a retirement apartment complex in Central Arkansas. Her son and daughter-in-law relocated to Florida, leaving her with no local family members. She desired to remain in her home to be near her friends. She had several medical conditions including memory deficits, decreased hearing, high blood pressure, severe osteoporosis, and other physical endurance limitations. One of our assistants scheduled weekly visits at her home and picked up her medications from the local pharmacy. The nurse then contacted the family weekly to report on her progress along with assisting with prescription refills and attending physician appointments. The patient was allowed to remain in her home and the family was comforted knowing she was being looked after on a regular basis. A 58-year-old female diagnosed with Hepatitis C with no known risk factors decided not to engage in the newly FDA approved treatment regimen after asking VP Medical Consulting staff to research treatment options. We learned the chance of eliminating the virus was only 50%, the liver damage was irreversible, and the treatment would cause her to be very ill for more than 18 months. We also found that her insurance would not provide coverage for treatment After learning this, she determined the benefits did not offset the risks and therefore did not participate in the medical treatment saving nearly $21,000.00 of her private funds. Legal Nurse Consulting The primary role of the legal nurse consultant is to evaluate, analyze, and render informed opinions on the delivery of health care and the resulting outcomes. For nearly 20 years, legal nurse consultants have acted as collaborators and strategists, offering support in medically-related litigation and other medical-legal matters in the variety of practice areas. Nurses have more hands on experience with medical records than any other healthcare provider and are well suited to provide critical analysis of health care facts and issues in areas such as medical malpractice, personal injury, product liability and toxic torts, workers' compensation, criminal law, elder law, and more. Discover the benefits of engaging the services of a Legal Nurse Consultant (LNC). It can easily mean the difference between winning and losing your client's case. Legal Nurse Consultants provide the following services to attorneys: Medical Record Analysis Identify, locate, review and interpret medical records, hospital policy and procedures, other such documents Organize, tab and paginate medical records for easy reference Prepare chronologies of the pertinent events of the case Summarize, translate and interpret medical records Identify possible medical record tampering Screen cases for merit Locate applicable standards of care Identify adherences to and deviations from the standard of care Assist in assessing damages and identify contributing factors Identify and recommend potential defendants Case Support Research and summarize medical and nursing literature Analyze the validity of research studies relied on by all parties Prepare a Life Care Plan to determine the cost of future services related to the case Medical Liaison Interview plaintiff and defense clients, key witnesses and experts Consult with healthcare providers Attend independent medical examinations (IMEs) Meet with other consultants and service providers on the attorney's behalf Expert Testimony and Witness Preparation Identify types of testifying experts needed for the case Secure the services of appropriate expert witnesses for deposition/trial Assist in the preparation of witnesses and experts for deposition/trial Serve as an expert witness with regard to Nurse Life Care Planning Discovery and Court Preparation Prepare interrogatories Analyze and summarize depositions and past testimony Create medical exhibits and other demonstrative evidence Attend courtroom proceedings when relevant Assist in resolution of cases through alternative dispute resolution, such as arbitration and mediation. Patient Education Do you have difficulty understanding your physician's explanation of your medical condition? Do you take multiple medications and can not remember what each prescription is for or what the side effects might be? Do you know how to research your medical condition for other forms of treatment? Do you know when or how to obtain a second opinion? Do you know the process to obtain copies of your medical records and how to decipher them? Have you ever struggled to remember the dates of past surgeries and the names and numbers for your treating physician(s) when you go to a new clinic? VP Medical Consulting has solutions for you. We offer patient education services to assist you in managing your own medical care or the medical issues of a loved one. Contact us to learn how to create a medical history, obtain your medical records, how and when to get a second opinion, and more. Maybe you just want to have someone explain, in simple terms, what is going and what options there are for treatment. VP Medical Consulting staff members are here to help you. We will sit down with you one on one to teach you how to get the most out of your medical care. We can accompany you or your loved one to medical appointments to coordinate care. We can report current treatment plans to the family. Maybe you would prefer to bring in your medical documents for deciphering. We are here for as much or as little help as you feel you need. Plans are in the works for a few products that will help you to manage your own care. Check back soon for information on our medical history journal and wallet medication packs available for purchase. Telephonic Case Management Our telephonic case management is the collaborative process used to evaluate, plan, implement and coordinate options and services to facilitate the return to work for employees without field involvement. The registered nurses, who serve as our telephonic case managers, have a vast range of clinical expertise and work with employees, employers, medical providers, and claims personnel to successfully manage medical and disability issues while conserving financial resources. There are many reasons to refer an injured individual for case management services. Early intervention and frequent communication helps to make sure all concerned parties share the same focus; a timely and healthy recovery. If your case seems limited, but you still need some help, consider telephonic case management. Our telephonic staff can: Collaborate with your injured worker, providers, employers and claims adjusters to identify and implement the most effective care plans Use their medical expertise to evaluate the recommended treatment plans, diagnoses, tests and medications Educate patients and their employers throughout the recovery period Identify and recommend alternative return-to-work options Evaluate relevant data to identify recovery obstacles and provide resolution options Promote the use of cost-effective health care services and resources Obtain progress reports and other medical records Should the case become more complicated than previously anticipated, the claim can always move toward field case management in the future. Telephonic case management is also a cost effective alternative when your client is treating outside of the metropolitan area. One cautionary note:  The medical record oftentimes does not accurately reflect the full appointment and should not be the sole basis for decision making.To refer a case contact us by email or phone or complete our referral form. Job Analysis & Ergonomic Assessments If you have employees experiencing work area discomfort, contact us today to arrange for an ergonomic assessment. Ergonomics is the science of fitting a work area to a worker. The purpose is to reduce the amount of strain on the body while maintaining production. We analyze the work process then adjust the work area to accomplish the necessary tasks. Workers whose workstations are poorly matched to them can suffer a wide array of discomforts or even injury depending on the task and physical arrangement of the work area. Neck, back and shoulder strain, visual difficulties, headache, hand, arm, wrist, ankle and foot pain are some potential indicators of a work area in need of ergonomic adjustment. The purpose of an ergonomics program is to proactively eliminate work-related Ergonomics Risk Factors and prevent or reduce workplace-acquired musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) by providing management leadership and employee involvement in the identification, correction and elimination of such risk factors, through information dissemination, education and training on an on-going basis These risk factors include: awkward postures repetition material handling force mechanical compression vibration temperature extremes glare inadequate lighting duration If you make early identification and prevention of WMSDs and their risk factors a number one priority, you will preserve and protect your work force and dramatically decrease related costs. Reduce the potential for fatigue, error, or unsafe acts by adapting the job and workplace to the workers' physical capabilities and limitations. Reduce absenteeism and worker turnover. Increase the overall work productivity and quality. Reduce workers' compensation claims and associated costs.   Job Analysis Job Analysis are helpful when formal job descriptions do not exist. The physicians treating an individual may have a difficult time in returning an injured worker back to the work environment unless they understand what the job entails. A Job Analysis can outline the essential functions of the job for review by the physician. A Job Analysis can also be a part of your return to work program when you want to offer a light duty work accommodation. Is the claimant concerned their light duty accommodations do not meet the doctor's orders? Find out. Have the job analyzed by a professional with VP Medical Consutling. Health & Safety Education VP Medical Consulting can provide onsite safety training and injury prevention programs. These programs assist the employer in identifying possible workplace safety issues which can impact performance and the company's assets. In addition, our staff can provide speakers for your next health fair or other event in which health education would be of interest. Our staff of registered nurses value their roles as patient educators and seek out opportunities to assist others in learning how one's health affects all aspects of life. Contact us to see how we can best serve your educational needs. Catastrophic Case Management Coming Soon IME Scheduling and reporting Coming Soon To secure the best in medical-legal consulting please fill out our Referral Form. If you are interested in referring a Medicare Set Aside case, use our Medicare Set Aside Referral Form.