Workers Comp Acronyms Often Used In Documentation
The correct workers comp acronyms are critical to Workers Comp communications.
In one of the LinkedIn Workers Comp blogs today, quite a few of the posters were talking about why an injured employee is called a claimant. I agree that the term sounds like the start of a controversy. A few of the posters had mentioned the need for consistency in acronyms.
Every Workers Comp insurance carrier or TPA has its own list of acronyms. I will provide a list of them. I was trying to figure out who to credit for them. These are so widespread I have no idea who to credit. If any insurance personnel uses an acronym that you do not understand, email them and ask for a list of the acronyms they use in their notes.
Workers Compensation Acronyms
ACOEM – American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
ADA – Americans with Disabilities Act (Federal)
ADL – Activities of daily living
ALJ – Administrative Law Judge
AMA – American Medical Association
AOE/COE – Arising out of employment and occurring in the course of employment
AWL – actual wage loss
AWW – average weekly wages
BRB – Benefits Review Board
CFS – chronic fatigue syndrome
COLA – Cost of living adjustment
CRPS – complex regional pain syndrome
CT – cumulative trauma
CTS – carpal tunnel syndrome
DBE – diagnostic-based estimates
DCO – diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide
DIP – distal interphalangeal joint
DoA – date of accident
DOI – date of injury
DRE – diagnosis-related estimates
DSM-IV – Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition
DVT – deep vein thrombosis
DWC – division of workers’ compensation
EBM – evidence based medicine
E/C – employer/carrier
FAS – functional acuity score
FEC – future earning capacity
FEV1 – forced expiratory volume in the first second
FFS – functional field score
FL – functional limitation
FVC – forced vital capacity
GAF – global assessment of functioning (indicated in Axis V in DSM-IV diagnosis)
HCO – health care organization
IDL – industrial disability leave
IME – independent medical examination
IP – interphalangeal joint
IQR – inter-quartile range
LDP – last day paid
LDW – last day worked
LEC – loss of earning capacity
LEI – lower extremity impairment
LHWCA – Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act
LT – lost time
MET – resting/exercise metabolic energy testing (See AMA Guides Chapter 3)
MDT – multiple disabilities table
MMI – maximum medical improvement
MPN – medical provider network
NCCI – National Council on Compensation Insurance
NCV – nerve conduction velocity testing
ND – nonwork disability
NEL – noneconomic loss
NSAIDS – non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
NYHA – New York Heart Association
OCC – occupation
OD – occupational disease
OSHA – Occupational Safety and Health Act
PCR – prevention, compensation, and rehabilitation
PD – permanent disability
PDRS – permanent disability rating schedule
PI – permanent impairment
PIP – proximal interphalangeal joint
PPD – permanent partial disability
P&S – permanent and stationary
PTD – permanent total disability
PTHS – post-traumatic head syndrome
PTSD – post-traumatic stress syndrome
RADS – reactive airways dysfunction syndrome
RAND – Rand Corporation
RFC – residual functional capacity
ROM – range of motion
RSD – reflex sympathetic dystrophy
RTW – return to work
SIADH – syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion
SIF – Subsequent Injuries Fund or State Insurance Fund
SLR – straight leg raising test
SOL – statute of limitations
SSA – Social Security Administration
SSD – Social Security Disability
SSDI – Social Security Disability Indemnity
SSI – Supplemental Security Income (Social Security welfare benefit payable to disabled and poor person)
SSR – Social Security Retirement
SWAG – scientific wild-ass guess
TD – temporary disability
TPA – third party administrator
TPD – temporary partial disability
TTD – temporary total disability
UEI – upper extremity impairment
UI – unemployment insurance
VA – Veteran’s Administration
VAS – visual acuity score
VFS – visual field score
VR – vocational rehabilitation
WC – workers’ compensation
WD – work disability
WL – wage loss
WLDI – Work Loss Data Institute
WPI – whole person impairment scale
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