IME Exit Survey

IME Exit Survey Update of Overall Results September 2012

Pilot of anonymous survey is part of effort to improve IME process

L&I tested an anonymous version of the IME Exit Survey from July 2011 - September 2011, to see if this would increase survey responses. The results are included in the IME Exit Survey report.
The Business and Labor Subcommittee requested the pilot.
IME surveys began in March 2010; there were over 1,000 responses the first four months. Participation then decreased to 500–600 worker responses per quarter. The response rate has increased since the department began distributing the surveys with the IME appointment letters.
Surveying is part of a team effort to improve the IME experience for our workers and to provide useful and accurate IME reports for our claims managers.

Survey findings

We began surveying workers on their IME experience in March 2010. The results show an overall positive response from workers about their IME experience, and also highlight opportunities for improvement.

The data indicates a direct correlation between:

how a worker perceives they have been treated by the IME examiner and their overall satisfaction with the process; and
amount of time the IME examiner spends with the worker and the worker’s overall satisfaction with the IME process.

We will be working with IME providers and the worker community to address these findings.