Who is the client?
In almost all cases, the client is the person with a disability (whether it be permanent or a short-term illness or injury) and the consultant’s primary concern is that person’s rights and well-being.
The exception to this is when a consultant is hired to conduct an independent file review or task involving no direct contact with the disabled person.
In this case, the hiring party is considered to be our client although the disabled individual’s rights and professional objectivity are always considered.
But what about the company who pays?
At Salus Cura, we are typically contracted by an insurance company or employer to provide assistance to a client. Although that company provides direction and pays for the services of a consultant, the client’s rights are always taken into consideration.As a Registered Rehabilitation Professional (RRP), Canadian Certified Rehabilitation Counsellor (CCRC) or Certified Vocational Professional (CVP), the consultant is obligated to provide only those services that are in the best interests of the client and also has the right to refuse to provide services that do not respect the client’s rights.
What about privacy?
To begin receiving disability benefits from an insurance company, a client typically signs a consent form allowing the insurer to obtain medical records for use in assessing their claim. If the disability insurance is part of a group plan, the employer will also share information specific to the claim.The consent form specifies who is allowed access to those records, and consent is generally extended to any disability professionals who are contracted to provide services on the client’s behalf.
This means that the Disability Management Consultant is privy to confidential information from treatment providers (physicians, specialists, and other health care providers) and the employer. The consultant is only allowed to share information as authorized by the insurance company, and typically this only happens in the following cases:
- When referring a client to a new treatment provider (and then, only medical information that is pertinent to the treatment is shared)
- If the client has a general practitioner (family physician), the physician will typically receive copies of referral letters and reports from treatment providers (but only as authorized by the insurance company)
- If a worksite ergonomic assessment is performed, the employer may receive a copy of the report, if permitted by the insurer and only once any medical information is removed
- If a client requires special accommodations from the employer in order to return to work, the employer can only be told the restrictions and limitations (as confirmed in writing by a treatment provider) that specifically apply to the job.
- All medical and employment-related documentation received by the consultant is shared with the insurance company
Information that is NOT shared:
- No medical details (such as diagnosis or disability history) can be divulged to the employer.
- Some insurers require a situation-specific request for approval to share information (such as a progress report) from a treatment provider with the family physician
Additional responsibilities of the Disability Management Consultant
Rehabilitation professionals are committed to being competent in all their professional activities and to be objective in communications.Rehabilitation professionals have a duty to be objective and demonstrate no bias towards any party involved in a file. Evaluation findings must be objective and able to be substantiated by relevant literature and the use of appropriate techniques.
When communicating knowledge, findings and views, the professional is expected to differentiate between facts, opinions, theories, hypotheses, and ideas. In addition, the professional acknowledges limitations of their knowledge, methods, findings, interventions, and views.
Fundamental principles of ethical behaviour
The CCRC bases their code upon the following six principles of ethical behaviour:- Autonomy: To respect the rights of clients to be self-governing within their social and cultural framework.
- Beneficence: To do good to others; to promote the well-being of clients.
- Fidelity: To be faithful; to keep promises and honor the trust placed in rehabilitation counselors.
- Justice: To be fair in the treatment of all clients; to provide appropriate services to all.
- Non-maleficence: To do no harm to others.
- Veracity: To be honest.
For more information
The following links lead to additional information directly from the professional associations. Both sites provide a summary of their Code of Ethics, along with downloadable documentation.- Vocational Rehabilitation Association of Canada
- Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification (CRCC)
