functional capacity Evaluations (FCE)

MWHS offer FCEs developed and credentialed by the ErgoScience Physical Work Performance Examination (PWPE).  The ErgoScience PWPE is supported by peer-reviewed research and criterion validity.  A cross reference system is used to accurately assess sincerity of effort.  The ErgoScience PWPE brings the following benefits to your worker’s compensation patients:

• Accurate and objective functional information
• A 1 day testing protocol supported by peer-reviewed research
• Concise and easy to interpret reports
• Job-specific testing if desired

Standardization.  The testing protocol, scoring system, and report-writing are standardized so that you get the same quality product each time you refer your patient.

Job-Specific Testing.  If you want the PWPE tailored to a specific job, we can easily accommodate this request.  The tasks of the PWPE were studied for reliability and validity individually so that we can select individual tasks for job-specific testing and still be supported by the research.

Objective Reporting of Patient Effort.  From the research done with the PWPE we know the extent of self-limiting behavior in motivated patients.  If your patient exceeds the accepted standard, you will see that behavior documented objectively in the report.  Accusatory statements regarding symptom exaggeration, malingering, or exaggerated pain behavior are not needed when this objective approach is utilized.  Keeping comments objective keeps everyone out of litigious situations. 

Supporting Research.  The PWPE is supported by research that documents its reliability and validity.  Study results are published in the Journal of Occupational Medicine, September, 1994.  No other FCE protocol has this level of research supporting the consistency and accuracy of the test.

Easy to Read Reports.  PWPE results are reported in a 2-3 page report.  Our concise report format eliminates the need to wade through lengthy narratives to get the information you need.  We’ll give you the:

• overall level of work,
• tolerance for the 8-hour day,
• performance on each task of the test,
• extent of self-limiting behavior,
• factors underlying functional limitations,
• comparison to job demands (if indicated)
• summary/recommendations (if desired)

Comparison to Job Demands.  If job demands are known, our table of patient performance on individual tasks makes it easy to compare patient abilities to job demands.  This table also allows you to see at a glance where the patient is deficient compared to job demands.  If there is no job to which the patient will return, the table is amended to report patient abilities only.