The Serious Illness and Doctor treating it seems conflictual
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From Florida:
One of our employees became seriously incapcitated with a mental-type condition. She had been under the care of a Psychiatrist taking some potent medicine to offset the effects of her condition. Then she applied for FMLA and apparently changed doctors.
We gave her the Certification papers to be completed with a date to return them by.
She complied with that request but when I checked the Certification papers, they were signed by a doctor with the appendage, "D.O."
I'm not a medical expert, however, I felt concern about this. Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't D.O. mean Doctor of Osteopath? And doesn't that mean that those doctors believe that adjustments to the skeleton can correct maladies?
Where does an HR person's obligations cease? Should we question the paperwork when a doctor whose specialty is not psychiatry certifies for a patient having those problems to the degree of having to use twelve weeks from work? If so, please advise.
One of our employees became seriously incapcitated with a mental-type condition. She had been under the care of a Psychiatrist taking some potent medicine to offset the effects of her condition. Then she applied for FMLA and apparently changed doctors.
We gave her the Certification papers to be completed with a date to return them by.
She complied with that request but when I checked the Certification papers, they were signed by a doctor with the appendage, "D.O."
I'm not a medical expert, however, I felt concern about this. Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't D.O. mean Doctor of Osteopath? And doesn't that mean that those doctors believe that adjustments to the skeleton can correct maladies?
Where does an HR person's obligations cease? Should we question the paperwork when a doctor whose specialty is not psychiatry certifies for a patient having those problems to the degree of having to use twelve weeks from work? If so, please advise.
Comments
I do not know if D.O.'s can specialize in psychiatry, and while you may have a legitimate concern that a person with a serious mental health condition is being treated by someone other than a psychiatrist, I don't know that the FMLA allows you to specify the medical specialty of the physician (other than going the employer-paid second opinion route).
Bottom line: Treat this certification as you would if it were signed by an M.D. with an unspecified speciality.
(Edit) P.S. Doctors of Chiropractic are also recognized under FMLA regs in states where they are licensed to practice.
The reason we know this is because she had physical trembling to the extent that it was almost impossible for her to speak and be understood. Her job requires her to be on the phone 8 hours a day - which, of course, is why she ended up on FMLA: she couldn't perform her duties.
The point is: That's how we knew: her privacy was not impeached by HR - her trembling was so bad the whole company couldn't help but notice it.
I only posed this question because I wondered if anyone else had some experience when you believe there may be some question as to "whom" is signing the Certification Papers, especially with the discovery that paperwork is signed by a doctor whose background didn't SEEM to match the ailment.
I had (nor presently have) no intent of making this my business EXCEPT to the extent that the paperwork should be PROPER paperwork - in this case, signed by credible signatures. My concern was for the employee herself, whether she was on a treatment plan that would serve her needs presented by a doctor whose knowledge would include depth in mental illness. (Otherwise, a phone job would be in jeporady if one cannot use the phone.)
And last - What, if anything, is HR personnel to do about paperwork which seems to be questionable: at which point does HR's obligation end?
Regardless as Don D stated, it is not up to us to question the type of doctor that employees have treat them as long as they are recognized under FMLA statutes.