An independent and objective medical assessment performed by a regulated health professional from a vast variety of disciplines. Focus is on objectivity, unbiased opinion, decisiveness, and a clear response to customer enquiries regarding topics such as eligibility for benefits, level of disability, employability, medical restrictions, diagnosis, prognosis, and causality.

An objective and functionally focused assessment of the client’s ability to perform the essential elements of his or her activities of daily living within their own living environment. A task-analysis approach is utilized to identify areas of ability and disability with a focus on personal care, housekeeping, home maintenance, childcare/caregiving, and leisure/recreation.

Using a task-analysis approach, an assessment of the client’s ability to perform their personal care tasks is performed by an Occupational Therapist or Nurse, preferably within the client’s living environment. The gleaned information is then analyzed to determine the time required to provide all necessary care. A Form 1 is then completed, providing an itemized breakdown of all required care and their associated costs. Customers are provided with the completed Form 1 and a detailed narrative report.

Based on the AMA Guidelines to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment, 4th Edition, a highly qualified team of medical evaluators complete a battery of assessments from pertinent disciplines to determine if the client meets the legislated catastrophic designation. These assessments are only assigned to highly experienced medical evaluators with AMA qualifications.

A coordinated and collaborative combination of medical/vocational assessments completed by a team of health professionals which are chosen based on the client’s impairments and the issues to be addressed (eligibility for benefits, level of disability, employability, etc). Focus is on cross referencing of findings and the highest possible level of consensus. Includes an executive summary of findings if requested.

Completed by a Kinesiologist, OT, Chiropractor, or Physiotherapist, a Functional Abilities Evaluation (FAE) is a highly objective and structured battery of subtests aimed at determining the sum of the client’s physical abilities. These demonstrated abilities and overall activity tolerance are compared to the physical demands of the employee’s job allowing for sound employability and return-to-work conclusions.

Performed by an experienced clinician (usually an Occupational Therapist or Kinesiologist) an ergonomic assessment analyzes the interaction between the client and their work environment using a task-analysis philosophy. The assessor gleans a variety of objective measurements of the client’s work space and observes the client’s work behaviours and habits (both through observation and interview) to identify all potential risk factors which may be exacerbating or producing impairment. The result is a solutions-based report with recommendations for risk factor elimination and the promotion of more comfortable and productive work.

A highly objective evaluation of all the physical and cognitive demands of a client’s job. Ideally performed in the client’s workplace with contributions from the client and their employer, the assessor (usually an Occupational Therapist or Kinesiologist) uses task-analysis, employee/employer interview, objective measurements, photographs, and/or video to quantify the demands of a client’s job. The result is a report that details the frequency of tasks, positions, and movements as well as the strength required to complete the job safely. The Job Site Analysis Report is the backbone to vocational rehabilitation or employment-based disability claim.

Completed by a certified Life Care Planner, these services analyze the present and future needs of a permanent and seriously impaired individual in the areas of rehabilitation, attendant care needs, medical needs, psychological/psychiatric needs, home/workplace modifications, mobility requirements (i.e. wheelchairs, scooters, etc), home care needs, and any other services aimed at compensating for lost abilities within the individual’s daily life and activities. These reports are highly detailed, both qualitatively in terms of description and quantitatively in terms of frequency and cost, and are invaluable in determining the life-long needs and cost of care for individuals with permanent serious/catastrophic impairment.

A comprehensive battery of evaluations focusing on an individual’s employment experience, aptitudes, learning abilities, and academic background with the goal of identifying alternative employment options. These options may be “direct entry”, meaning the individual is capable of commencing employment without any preparation, or “requiring re-training” in which the individual would be suitable for the position with some reasonable retraining. Psychovocational Evaluations add a Psychological Assessment of the individual to the standard Vocational Evaluation process to identify any psychological factors which may impact a return to the workforce or retraining. Vocational Evaluations are crucial in assisting individuals who have been deemed incapable of returning to their pre-impairment employment.

A comprehensive assessment of an individual’s physical and functional abilities including mobility. Depending on referral requests, a Physiotherapy Assessment may be required to identify functional limitations and develop a suitable and effective treatment program aimed at restoring function as per current best practice standards. In other instances, a physiotherapy assessment may be required to critique a current treatment program and, if necessary, make recommendations aimed at improved outcomes, again based on current best practice standards.

Performed by a certified Doctor of Chiropractic, these evaluations aim to identify an individual’s current diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment requirements from a Chiropractic point of view. Depending on referral requests, Chiropractic Evaluations may be focused on developing a detailed treatment regimen or to critique another practitioner’s treatment program and, if necessary, make suggestions for improved outcomes. In either scenario, outcomes are based on current chiropractic best practice standards.

Evolve is excited to offer a collaborative assessment combining the diagnostic musculoskeletal information gleaned through a formal Medical Evaluation with the highly objective functional data obtained during a Functional Abilities Evaluation. What is unique about this assessment combination is the collaborative, two-way communication that is employed between the certified FAE evaluator and experienced medical specialist. The result is a clear picture of what medical conditions are preventing the individual from working, how they are impacting necessary work activities, and what should be implemented to resolve the work absence. While Evolve has designed this “combo” assessment with a “return to work” focus, applications to other areas of lost function are possible. Contact Evolve to discuss the possibilities.

Paper Review Assessments are performed to determine the reasonableness and necessity of proposed treatment/assessment plans. Generally performed by a professional within the same discipline as the treating practitioner, a thorough review of all provided and pertinent medical and insurance documentation is completed to determine whether or not the services being proposed are within best practice guidelines, are priced within industry standards, and will in all probability result in the desired outcomes for the individual.

Usually performed by a certified Occupational Therapist or Registered Nurse, discharge planning is a complex multi-step process which usually involves multiple visits with individuals while in hospital and post-discharge within their home; consultations with all treating professionals; visits/consultation with medical supply/home modification vendors; and ongoing coordination of services aimed at the smoothest and safest transition from facility-based care to the home/assisted living environment. The focus of discharge planning is to ensure that the individual has been provided with all necessary services, devices, and environmental modifications to make them as independent and safe as possible within their living environment. Many of these solutions are not as obvious as one may think and Evolve’s team of experienced clinicians will ensure that all necessary interventions are put in place.