OrthoSouth is pleased to announce that Dr. Riley Jones, who is board certified in orthopedic surgery, has received certification as a Certified Physician through the
Tennessee Bureau of Workers’ Compensation.

The Certified Physicians Program (CPP) is a relatively new program designed to train and certify physicians “to perform all of the tasks that the Tennessee Workers’ Compensation Law requires,” per the Tennessee Department of Labor website. The program has two main goals: increasing access for injured workers to trained physicians, and reducing the number of days that injured workers are out of work.

Many of the complex processes involved in handling work injuries are not taught in medical school, including the processes of determining causation and maximum medical improvement, the Bureau’s definition of permanent impairment, modified duty, etc. A physician who completes voluntary CPP training has demonstrated a willingness to take on the extra responsibilities that come with providing care for patients injured at work.

For Dr. Jones, the certification is simply an acknowledgement by the Bureau of the same willingness and expertise he has demonstrated for decades in his workers’ compensation practice. As newer orthopedic surgeons enter this practice area, he hopes they will take the time to learn the nuances involved in navigating work injuries. “When an employee is injured on the job,” he says, “there’s a little bit more involved than your standard orthopedic injury. Everyone has an interest in getting that patient back to
work as quickly and safely as possible, and it requires a lot of coordination and communication across the board.”

The CPP is a voluntary program for physicians who provide workers’ compensation services. Only a small number of Tennessee providers are CPP-certified at this time, though many more who are not yet certified have provided competent employer services for decades prior to the new program.
For more information about the workers’ compensation services provided at OrthoSouth please visit
https://orthosouth.org/memphis-orthopedic-services/employer-services/.