In the Loop Vol. 25 — Compiling Briefs to Medical Specialists

Compiling a brief to a medico-legal specialist is a balancing act. It is tempting to include every available record so nothing is missed, but that often produces a brief that is large, costly, and cluttered with material that draws focus away from the subject incident.

Build the Brief Around Relevance

The best briefs are built around relevance to the specialist's field. An orthopaedic surgeon benefits from pre-injury imaging and prior incident forms; a psychiatrist from school counsellor or treating psychologist records. Including only what is pertinent gives the specialist a clear picture of the claimant before and after the incident.

Trim and De-Duplicate

Great briefs also trim and de-duplicate. Redacted or poorly copied pages, unrelated pathology and imaging, and — most commonly — records duplicated across multiple treating providers are removed. Checking material against these principles before it is sent improves turnaround, ensures relevance, and reduces the specialist's reading time and cost.