Cira Medical Services Opens Discussion on IME Industry-Wide Change

Launch of White Paper on Emerging Trends and the Future of the IME Industry

Toronto—Cira Medical Services (Cira), a Canadian market leader in clinical risk management, released a new publication today titled “Emerging Trends in the Independent Medical Evaluation (IME) Industry,” to promote an understanding among Canadians around developments within the sector from a service-level perspective.

IMEs are conducted by health professionals operating through third-party companies like Cira to provide impartial and objective medical assessments at the request of insurers, employers, or law firms.

“Over the past two decades, the IME industry has experienced significant transformation which can be attributed to two key factors: regulatory changes and industry trends,” said Dr. Avi Orner, Medical Director, Cira Medical Services. “This paper discusses the impact of those factors and explores how they interact with one another.”

The launch of this paper comes at a time when IME service providers are continuing to adjust to various regulatory reforms affecting the auto insurance industry. In Ontario, for example, reforms to the Statutory Accident Benefits Schedule (SABS) that were introduced in 2010 and further revisions expected to flow from a scheduled review of the SABS in 2014 have engendered a state of ongoing uncertainty for various stakeholders.

In its treatment of these industry-wide changes, Cira has identified a number of key trends:

• • Bigger is better. Consolidation is one of the most significant trends in the industry, as IME customers are increasingly seeking out larger and more sophisticated vendors who can deliver services across Canada.

  • Service is king. There is now a greater emphasis on IME service standards, including improved transparency, more rigorous quality controls, more efficient internal processes, and greater accountability.

  • Collaboration is key. IME service providers are moving toward greater collaboration with their stakeholders.

  • Technology is driving enhanced competitiveness. Going forward, IME providers will have to increasingly utilize advanced information technology to leverage data captures and perform trending analyses to identify process improvements and cost savings.

  • Playing a role in policy. IME providers can offer valuable insights from a service-level perspective when it comes to shaping future policy and legislative reforms.

“Given the crucial role an IME plays in connecting various stakeholders, IME providers are well-positioned to work collaboratively and efficiently with all parties to deliver the highest quality of service to clients and individuals served,” said Karen Seward, President, Cira Medical Services. “As we are all being impacted by regulatory changes, Cira looks forward to leading a discussion with Canadians to help understand the effects of industry-wide change and also ensure that quality of service remains paramount.”

The white paper was authored by Dr. Avi Orner, MD, MBA, CCFP, Medical Director, Cira Medical Services, Karen Seward, President, Cira Medical Services, and Dr. Sheldon L. Levy, MD, Consultant, Cira Medical Services.

The full white paper is available for download on Cira’s website, www.ciramedical.ca.

• About Cira Medical Services

• Cira Medical Services is a leading provider of independent medical evaluations and clinical risk management services for the corporate, insurance, and medical legal industries across Canada. With an unparalleled roster of physicians and regulated health professionals and a deep breadth of insurance, corporate, and medical expertise on staff, Cira delivers defensible and accurate reports, backed by expert advice. Visit www.ciramedical.ca to learn more.

• For more information please contact:

• Bikram Daulay
• Vice President of Marketing & Communications
• SCM Insurance Services
• 101, 5083 Windermere Blvd. SW, Edmonton, Alberta T6W 0J5
• T: 7809305321
• E: bikram.daulay@scm.ca

 

• Peter Seemann
• Principal Grassroots Public Affairs Inc.
• T: 905-716-3000
• E: peter@grassrootspublicaffairs.com

 

• http://www.ciramedical.ca