A Functional Capacity Evaluation is a standardized, objective assessment that measures a patient's physical abilities and limitations in the context of work demands. FCEs are used in workers' compensation, disability, and personal injury cases to determine whether a patient can return to work, what restrictions are medically necessary, and what level of physical demand the patient can safely perform.
Measures maximum safe lifting from floor to waist, waist to shoulder, and carrying distance. Compared against the physical demands of the patient's specific job.
Assesses how long the patient can safely stand, sit, walk, bend, squat, kneel, and reach. Critical for determining work restrictions for jobs that require sustained positions.
Measures grip strength, pinch strength, and hand dexterity. Important for workers with carpal tunnel, wrist injuries, or hand conditions.
Validates that the patient is giving maximum effort through objective consistency checks. This protects both the patient (prevents underestimation of abilities) and the employer (prevents overestimation).
FCEs are typically requested by insurance carriers to determine work readiness, employers to define safe return-to-work restrictions, attorneys to document functional limitations for settlement purposes, or treating physicians to establish objective baselines and track progress. At VMG, Dr. Vally integrates FCE findings with the overall treatment plan. The FCE is not an isolated test. It informs treatment decisions, work restriction modifications, and return-to-work timelines.
For employers and adjusters: VMG provides standardized FCE reports that meet the documentation requirements for Hawaii workers' compensation and federal OWCP claims. Reports include objective measurements, effort consistency validation, comparison against job-specific physical demands, and clear return-to-work recommendations. Call (808) 935-6353 to schedule.
VMG provides standardized FCEs at four Hawaii locations. Results integrated with treatment planning for complete case management.
Request an FCE →(808) 935-6353 • Mon–Fri 8am–4pm
An Independent Medical Examination is an objective medical evaluation performed by a physician who is not the patient's treating doctor. IMEs are requested by insurance carriers, attorneys, employers, or the court to provide an unbiased medical opinion on the nature and extent of an injury, causation, treatment appropriateness, maximum medical improvement (MMI), and permanent impairment ratings.
Is the patient's condition causally related to the incident or work activity in question? The IME physician reviews records, examines the patient, and provides an evidence-based medical opinion on causation.
Is the treatment the patient has received (or is requesting) medically necessary and appropriate for the diagnosed condition? This is commonly requested when carriers dispute treatment authorization.
Has the patient reached MMI, the point at which their condition is unlikely to improve further with additional treatment? MMI determinations trigger permanent impairment ratings and settlement discussions.
What is the patient's permanent impairment as a percentage of the whole person, based on AMA Guides? Impairment ratings directly affect the monetary value of workers' comp settlements.
Insurance carriers request IMEs to verify treatment necessity or dispute claims. Plaintiff attorneys request IMEs to strengthen their client's case with an independent medical opinion. Defense attorneys request IMEs to challenge the treating physician's findings. Employers request IMEs when return-to-work status is disputed. OWCP claims examiners may require IMEs (called "second opinion" or "referee" examinations in the federal system) to resolve disputes between the treating physician and the carrier's medical consultant.
For attorneys: Dr. Vally provides detailed, evidence-based IME reports that withstand cross-examination. Reports include a thorough review of all available medical records, comprehensive physical examination findings, clearly stated medical opinions with supporting rationale, and AMA Guides-based impairment ratings when requested. IMEs are available at all four Hawaii locations. Call (808) 935-6353 to schedule.
Dr. Vally provides objective, evidence-based IME reports for workers' comp, OWCP, and personal injury cases at four Hawaii locations.
Call (808) 935-6353 →Available at all 4 locations • Mon–Fri 8am–4pm
Getting an injured worker back to productive employment is the end goal of every workers' compensation case. But "return to work" does not mean "return to full duty the day the doctor says you're at MMI." A structured return-to-work program transitions the worker gradually, with medically appropriate restrictions that protect against re-injury while restoring functional capacity over time.
Dr. Vally evaluates current physical capacity through clinical examination and, when indicated, a formal Functional Capacity Evaluation. Objective measurements establish where the worker is today.
We review the physical demands of the worker's specific job: lifting requirements, positional tolerances, repetitive motions, and environmental exposures. Restrictions are written to match the actual job, not generic categories.
Work restrictions start conservative and progress as the worker demonstrates increased capacity. Modified duty or light duty transitions are documented with specific physical parameters that the employer can implement.
Dr. Vally evaluates progress at regular intervals, adjusts restrictions based on functional improvement, continues interventional treatment as needed, and documents everything for the workers' comp record.
For employers: Structured return-to-work programs reduce claim duration, lower total claim costs, and improve employee retention. VMG works directly with employers and safety coordinators to develop modified duty assignments that match the worker's current capacity while they continue to recover. Call (808) 935-6353 to discuss your program.
VMG builds structured return-to-work programs that protect workers from re-injury while getting them back to productive employment. Available at all four Hawaii locations.
Get Started →(808) 935-6353 • Mon–Fri 8am–4pm
