Functional capacity evaluation, impairment rating, and applied certification processes

Issue title: Evaluation of Disability

Guest editors: V. Robert May

Article type: Research Article

Authors: May, V.R.^{; *} | Taylor, Darrell | Brigham, Christopher | Washington, Carlis

Affiliations: Commission on Disability Examiner Certification, 13325 Queensgate Road, Midlothian, VA 23113, USA

Correspondence: [*] Corresponding author. Tel.: + 1 804 2729192; Fax: + 1 804 2729257.

Abstract: Functional capacity evaluation and impairment rating service delivery systems arc enjoying a growth unsurpassed by any ancillary service system in the health care industry. Medical, osteopathic, and chiropractic physicians arc establishing partnerships with allied health care professionals who are trained in functional capacity evaluation and impairment rating protocols. The resulting growth has led to new research in this specialized health care industry such that reliability and validity are being reviewed and credibility is being applied to both evaluative processes. One outcome from research has been the development of certification by two agencies in functional capacity evaluation and impairment rating. This paper reviews the credentialling process and applied research which has been conducted in both evaluation environments and reviews the impairment rating and functional capacity evaluation process in detail.

Keywords: Functional capacity evaluation, Impairment rating, Validity, Reliability

DOI: 10.3233/NRE-1998-11103

Journal: NeuroRehabilitation, vol. 11, no. 1, pp. 13-27, 1998