Resources & Articles

From the AAEME Blog

Practical answers to the questions physicians actually ask about AMA Guides impairment ratings, WPI calculations, CIRS™ and NIRSAT™ certification, PPD determinations, and report defensibility. Written by Christine G. Caldwell, BSN, CIRS™, CLNC.

All Articles

6 articles
Defensibility & Documentation
What Are the Most Common Errors in Impairment Rating Reports?
Eight in ten impairment rating reports contain errors. The six most common: wrong edition, premature MMI, wrong method, weak documentation, apportionment.
May 18, 20267 min read →
Impairment Rating Fundamentals
What Is Apportionment in an Impairment Rating?
Apportionment separates current-injury impairment from prior impairment. How to apply it under the AMA Guides and Nevada NRS 616C.099.
May 11, 20266 min read →
Impairment Rating Fundamentals
What Is the Difference Between an Impairment Rating and a PPD Rating?
An impairment rating is medical. A PPD rating is legal. Physicians produce the WPI; states convert it. Where the physician's role ends.
May 4, 20265 min read →
Impairment Rating Fundamentals
What Is MMI, and When Does It Trigger an Impairment Rating?
Maximum Medical Improvement (MMI) is the clinical threshold that triggers an impairment rating. How MMI is determined and why it matters.
April 27, 20265 min read →
Impairment Rating Fundamentals
What's the Difference Between Impairment and Disability?
Impairment is a medical finding. Disability is a legal determination. Conflating them is one of the most common errors opposing counsel will spot.
April 20, 20265 min read →
Impairment Rating Fundamentals
What Is WPI? Understanding Whole Person Impairment Ratings
WPI (Whole Person Impairment) is a percentage of how much an injury reduces functional capacity. How it's calculated and how it differs from disability.
April 13, 20266 min read →
Christine G. Caldwell, BSN, CIRS™, CLNC
Founder of AAEME and creator of the CIRS™ designation, NIRSAT™, and TIRSAT™. She has certified more than 4,000 physicians in AMA Guides impairment ratings and has testified before six state legislatures on workers' compensation and impairment rating standards. An independent review found that eight out of ten impairment rating reports contain errors. AAEME's certification programs exist to change that number.