Common use of MEDICAL CARE FOR INJURIES OR ILLNESS IN LINE OF DUTY Clause in Contracts

MEDICAL CARE FOR INJURIES OR ILLNESS IN LINE OF DUTY. Medical care for those injured or who contract illness in the line of duty shall be as follows: Those members injured or who contract illness in the line of duty whose condition requires admittance to a hospital shall have the right to select a hospital and physician from the staff of that hospital. The choice shall be made by the employee, or if his or her condition prevents him or her from making his or her choice, the choice shall be made by his or her nearest relative who may be available at the time, provided howev- er, that the fees of such hospital and/or doctor are reasonable and consistent with the prevailing rates for such services in the Rhode Island medical community. In other cases which do not require hospitalization, the employee shall have the right to a specialist of his or her own choice from the staff of a hospital for initial treatment at the hospital and for subsequent treatment at the selected physician’s office, provided however, that the fees of such hospital and/or doctor are reasonable and consistent with the prevailing rates for such services in the Rhode Island medical community. In cases which are of minor nature (minor lacerations, abrasions, contusions, etc.), the judgment of the resident physician shall be followed regarding the necessity of calling in a specialist. When an employee has suffered a minor injury which does not require the care of a physician in the line of duty and has been treated by a member of the rescue squad, a report of the injury and treatment shall be made to the Chief of the Department and become a part of the record of the Department. Any subsequent worsening of the injury or of the immediate area of the injury shall entitle the individual to the benefits of this Article. When an employee has suffered a previous injury and an occasion arises when that injury recurs in any manner, the employee shall be entitled to the immediate examina- tion of the physician who attended him or her for the original injury at the City’s expense. In the event the physician who treated the employee for the original injury is not available by reason of illness, death or from other circumstances, the employee shall have the right to engage a specialist of his or her own choice. If the attending physician determines that the employee is actually suffering from a recurrence of the injury, the employee shall be entitled to the benefits of this Article; provided, however, that if the City of Warwick questions the decision of such physician, the City shall have the right to have said employee examined by the City’s physician, or by a physician selected by him or her. If, in the opinion of the City’s physician, or of the physician selected by him or her, the employee is not suffering from a recurrence of such injury, the employees physician and the City’s physician, or the physician selected by him or her, shall jointly select a third neutral physician who shall specialize in the area of medicine involved in the injury which is alleged to have recurred, to examine the employee and the decision of such physician shall be final and binding as to whether or not said employee is actually suffering from a recurrence of the injury. In the event the employee’s physician and the City’s physician, or the physician selected by him or her, shall be unable to agree upon a third neutral physician, such neutral physician shall be selected, upon the application of either party hereto, by the Executive Director of Rhode Island Medical Association. The Physician so selected by Executive Director of Rhode Island Medical Association shall be a specialist in the area of medicine involved in the injury which is alleged to have recurred. In all cases herein the examining physician shall base his or her opinion upon reasonable medical certainty.

MEDICAL CARE FOR INJURIES OR ILLNESS IN LINE OF DUTY. Medical care for those injured or who contract illness in the line of duty shall be as follows: Those members injured or who contract illness in the line of duty whose condition requires admittance to a hospital shall have the right to select a hospital and physician from the staff of that hospital. The choice shall be made by the employee, or if his or her condition prevents him or her from making his or her choice, the choice shall be made by his or her nearest relative who may be available at the time, provided howev- erhowever, that the fees of such hospital and/or doctor are reasonable and consistent with the prevailing rates for such services in the Rhode Island medical community. In other cases which do not require hospitalization, the employee shall have the right to a specialist of his or her own choice from the staff of a hospital for initial treatment at the hospital and for subsequent treatment at the selected physician’s office, provided however, that the fees of such hospital and/or doctor are reasonable and consistent with the prevailing rates for such services in the Rhode Island medical community. In cases which are of minor nature (minor lacerations, abrasions, contusions, etc.), the judgment of the resident physician shall be followed regarding the necessity of calling in a specialist. When an employee has suffered a minor injury which does not require the care of a physician in the line of duty and has been treated by a member of the rescue squad, a report of the injury and treatment shall be made to the Chief of the Department and become a part of the record of the Department. Any subsequent worsening of the injury or of the immediate area of the injury shall entitle the individual to the benefits of this Article. When an employee has suffered a previous injury and an occasion arises when that injury recurs in any manner, the employee shall be entitled to the immediate examina- tion examination of the physician who attended him or her for the original injury at the City’s expense. In the event the physician who treated the employee for the original injury is not available by reason of illness, death or from other circumstances, the employee shall have the right to engage a specialist of his or her own choice. If the attending physician determines that the employee is actually suffering from a recurrence of the injury, the employee shall be entitled to the benefits of this Article; provided, however, that if the City of Warwick questions the decision of such physician, the City shall have the right to have said employee examined by the City’s physician, or by a physician selected by him or her. If, in the opinion of the City’s physician, or of the physician selected by him or her, the employee is not suffering from a recurrence of such injury, the employees physician and the City’s physician, or the physician selected by him or her, shall jointly select a third neutral physician who shall specialize in the area of medicine involved in the injury which is alleged to have recurred, to examine the employee and the decision of such physician shall be final and binding as to whether or not said employee is actually suffering from a recurrence of the injury. In the event the employee’s physician and the City’s physician, or the physician selected by him or her, shall be unable to agree upon a third neutral physician, such neutral physician shall be selected, upon the application of either party hereto, by the Executive Director of Rhode Island Medical Association. The Physician so selected by Executive Director of Rhode Island Medical Association shall be a specialist in the area of medicine involved in the injury which is alleged to have recurred. In all cases herein the examining physician shall base his or her opinion upon reasonable medical certainty.

MEDICAL CARE FOR INJURIES OR ILLNESS IN LINE OF DUTY. Medical care for those injured or who contract illness in the line of duty shall be as follows: Those members injured or who contract illness in the line of duty whose condition requires admittance to a hospital shall have the right to select a hospital and physician from the staff of that hospital. The choice shall be made by the employee, or if his or her condition prevents him or her from making his or her choice, the choice shall be made by his or her nearest relative who may be available at the time, provided howev- erhowever, that the fees of such hospital and/or doctor are reasonable and consistent with the prevailing rates for such services in the Rhode Island medical community. In other cases which do not require hospitalization, the employee shall have the right to a specialist of his or her own choice from the staff of a hospital for initial treatment at the hospital and for subsequent treatment at the selected physician’s office, provided however, that the fees of such hospital and/or doctor are reasonable and consistent with the prevailing rates for such services in the Rhode Island medical community. In cases which are of minor nature (minor lacerations, abrasions, contusions, etc.), the judgment of the resident physician shall be followed regarding the necessity of calling in a specialist. When an employee has suffered a minor injury which does not require the care of a physician in the line of duty and has been treated by a member of the rescue squad, a report of the injury and treatment shall be made to the Chief of the Department and become a part of the record of the Department. Any subsequent worsening of the injury or of the immediate area of the injury shall entitle the individual to the benefits of this Article. When an employee has suffered a previous injury and an occasion arises when that injury recurs in any manner, the employee shall be entitled to the immediate examina- tion of the physician who attended him or her for the original injury at the City’s expenseex- pense. In the event the physician who treated the employee for the original injury is not available by reason of illness, death or from other circumstances, the employee shall have the right to engage a specialist of his or her own choice. If the attending physician determines that the employee is actually suffering from a recurrence of the injury, the employee shall be entitled to the benefits of this Article; provided, however, that if the City of Warwick questions the decision of such physician, the City shall have the right to have said employee examined by the City’s physician, or by a physician selected by him or her. If, in the opinion of the City’s physician, or of the physician selected by him or her, the employee is not suffering from a recurrence of such injury, the employees physician and the City’s physician, or the physician selected by him or her, shall jointly select a third neutral physician who shall specialize in the area of medicine involved in the injury which is alleged to have recurred, to examine the employee and the decision of such physician shall be final and binding as to whether or not said employee is actually suffering from a recurrence of the injury. In the event the employee’s physician and the City’s physician, or the physician selected by him or her, shall be unable to agree upon a third neutral physician, such neutral physician shall be selected, upon the application of either party hereto, by the Executive Director of Rhode Island Medical Association. The Physician so selected by Executive Director of Rhode Island Medical Association shall be a specialist in the area of medicine involved in the injury which is alleged to have recurred. In all cases herein the examining physician shall base his or her opinion upon reasonable medical certainty.