For employers · adjusters · case managers · attorneys

You manage the claim. We won't be the bottleneck.

The most expensive thing in a workers' compensation file is silence. Our program is built around the documentation you actually need, delivered on a schedule you can plan around.

Make a referral → workcomp@iowaback.com

SAME VISIT

Work status form completed at every appointment. Current restrictions, capacity, and next visit — one copy to the patient, one faxed to the employer and carrier before the end of the day.

24–48 HOURS

Office notes and treatment plans. Chart notes documenting findings, plan, causation commentary when requested, and anticipated timeline — automatically routed to the assigned adjuster and case manager.

24–48 HOURS

Acute referrals triaged. Sudden or serious injuries are reviewed and scheduled within one to two business days; routine referrals within five to seven.

ON SCHEDULE

IME reports, impairment ratings, and case review letters delivered by the agreed deadline. If a report will be late, you'll hear it from us first — not discover it in a follow-up call.

A working partnership

What we deliver. What we need from you.

Good spine claims run on complete information moving in both directions. Here's the exchange, stated plainly.

We provide

Prompt evaluation by fellowship-trained orthopaedic spine surgeons
Conservative-first treatment — surgery is recommended only when the evidence supports it, and we document why
Restrictions written against the actual job — specific, functional, and defensible, not boilerplate
A single point of contact — a dedicated work comp coordinator who answers the phone and knows your file
Formal case review for complex files — failed prior surgery, prior consultations elsewhere, stalled recoveries — with written recommendations
Timely response to authorization questions so approved care isn't waiting on us

We need from you

Claim number, adjuster, and case manager contacts at the time of referral
Written authorization for the evaluation and any pre-approved care
Prior medical records in chronological order — clinic notes, radiology reports, and operative reports for the injured body region
Imaging — actual studies, not just reports, whenever possible
A functional job description — the physical demands of the position, so restrictions and return-to-work planning reflect the real job
Prompt authorization decisions — delayed approvals are the single largest driver of delayed recoveries

Return-to-work philosophy

Early, safe, and honest — in that order.

The research is unambiguous: the longer an injured worker is away from the workplace, the less likely they ever return. Extended disability compounds — physically, psychologically, and financially — for the worker and for the claim.

Our approach is early mobilization and early return to meaningful transitional work within honest medical restrictions. When a worker can safely do part of the job, we say so. When they can't, we say that too — accurate restrictions protect the worker, the employer, and the integrity of the claim.

Restrictions are re-evaluated at every visit and communicated the same day, so transitional duty assignments can keep pace with recovery instead of lagging weeks behind it.

How employers help RTW succeed

Send the functional job description early — it's the reference document for every restriction we write
Offer real transitional work, not make-work — productive modified duty keeps workers engaged in recovery
Stay in touch with your employee — regular contact during time off is one of the strongest predictors of successful return
Respect the restrictions as written — if a task seems borderline, call us before assigning it

Medico-legal services

When the file needs an expert on the record.

For carriers, employers, and counsel on either side of a claim, our surgeons provide formal medico-legal work grounded in academic training and a published research record.

Independent medical exams

Thorough examinations with clear, well-organized written reports addressing diagnosis, causation, treatment reasonableness, MMI, and restrictions.

Impairment ratings

Ratings performed under the AMA Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment as applied under Iowa law, with the methodology shown.

Causation opinions

Written analysis of mechanism, medical history, and imaging addressing whether a condition arises out of and in the course of employment.

Record & case reviews

Formal file review with written treatment recommendations — particularly for failed surgery, disputed surgical indications, and stalled recoveries.

Second surgical opinions

Independent assessment of whether a proposed spine surgery is indicated, appropriately scoped, and likely to achieve its goal.

Testimony

Deposition and hearing testimony supported by the written record. Scheduling and fee schedules available through the work comp coordinator.

You manage the claim. We won't be the bottleneck.

What we deliver. What we need from you.

Early, safe, and honest — in that order.

When the file needs an expert on the record.

Talk to a person who knows your file.