Westminster, CO April 24, 2006 - Reed Group, Ltd. announces immediate availability of a new online, integrated return to work and workers´ compensation reference resource, The Medical Disability Advisor, Fifth Edition. This advanced resource has seamless integration with American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine´s ("ACOEM") Utilization Management KnowledgebaseTM ("UMK").
Presley Reed, MD, founder and Chief Medical Officer of Reed Group, Ltd. says, "Between the leading Medical Disability Advisor, and the widely accepted ACOEM Practice Guidelines, anyone working in the Disability Management, Workers´ Compensation management and Return To Work arena´s can have a single, completely integrated, evidence-based solution. Together with ACOEM´s Utilization Management Knowledgebase, we will deliver accurate guidance with the efficiency of state-of-the-art delivery technology available with the internet." Adds Dr. Reed, "Only reference resources developed and delivered by medically oriented providers can be the trusted complete and current resource for these important services. We are gratified by the early enthusiasm and acceptance of this resource by leaders in the insurance and workers´ compensation administration industries."
For timely and consistent Utilization Review ("UR") and Utilization Management ("UM"), the MDA with UMK provides consistent and precise delivery of the ACOEM Practice Guidelines, Second Edition. The ACOEM Practice Guidelines, Second Edition provide occupational physicians with a common knowledge base and recommendations regarding diagnoses and treatments that are most likely to return workers to health and function as safely and as efficiently as possible.Substantiating this leadership position, since 2004 the State of California has required that ACOEM´s Guidelines be used when reviewing workers´ compensation cases. The UMK provides an on-line delivery system for such use.
"Making available ACOEM´s intellectual property to help develop new products that improve the delivery of health care is one of our primary goals," according to Barry S. Eisenberg, ACOEM´s Executive Director. "We know the UMK will help to improve the way physicians, other health care professionals, and third parties communicate, track and evaluate a wide range of diagnostic processes, patient evaluations, and treatments options. This will result in administrative efficiencies, cost savings and most importantly better care for injured workers. We are very pleased that Reed Group has chosen to integrate the UMK data into their world-class suite of products."
ACOEM has made an exclusive commitment to extend and improve the UMK. APG Insights, a quarterly publication, will contain questions from users of the ACOEM Practice Guidelines and the UMK; supplemental material from the medical literature; topics that provide an in-depth, updated analysis of interventions discussed in the ACOEM Practice Guidelines; and explanations and interpretations to the guidelines. In APG Insights, new information will be brought forward that will be responsive to the more complex set of needs and requirements that have been legislated or are required in the management of workers´ compensation.
The Medical Disability Advisor, Fifth Edition (MDA) is the world´s most widely used information resource for disability information with over 22,000 customers worldwide. By providing proprietary actual evidence-based disability duration data, along with comprehensive treatment and rehabilitation information developed by the Reed Group Medical Advisory Board, employers are assured of the most current and complete fact-based information for a healthy and timely return to work outcome.
To learn more about MDA integrated with UMK or to place an order call Reed Group at 866-889-4449 or visit us online at www.rgl.net/mdaumk.
Dr. Presley Reed founded Reed Group in 1981 to address workplace productivity and employee absenteeism in the corporate environment. Reed Group maintains four key lines of business: Guidelines, Service, Data Analytics, and Education. Reed Group publishes the industry-standard disability duration guidelines, The Medical Disability Advisor (textbook, Windows software, and Internet and data integration versions), now in its Fifth Edition. Additionally, Reed Group provides integrated disability case management service for non-occupational and occupational leaves, Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and other leave of absence administrative services to employers. For more information, visit www.ReedGroup.com.
About the American College of Occupation and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM)
Founded in 1916, ACOEM is an international medical society of more than 5,000 occupational and environmental physicians and other allied health professionals that provide leadership to promote optimal health and safety of workers, workplaces, and environments. The College is headquartered in Elk Grove Village, Illinois. For more information, visit www.acoem.org.
The UtilizationManagement Knowledgebase (UMK) is a trademark of the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine copyright 2006.
For additional information, contact:
Reed Group, Ltd.
Marty Reader
Chief Marketing Officer, Reed Group
Telephone: 303.407.0699
E-mail: mreader[at]ReedGroup.com