A large part of SoVD’s social counseling in Schleswig-Holstein revolves around the severely disabled person’s ID card. Many of our members come to us with questions about the application process, while others are considering filing an "aggravation" application. When it comes to difficulties, however, almost all problems have one thing in common: The report of the findings of the family doctor or a specialist does not say what it should actually say.
These 5 points should not be missing from any report of findings
With this in mind, in this article we present five contents that should be part of every report of findings. Before you apply for a severely disabled pass or for a reduced earning capacity pension, you should therefore always Seek consultation with your doctor. This is because the latter does not intentionally write the medical report in an inadequate form, but usually out of ignorance. Often too little time also plays a role.
Please do not be put off. A report that is not very informative almost always leads to the procedure being dragged out. If you are unlucky, you will later receive a decision that you did not expect at all. All because the findings reports did not contain what they were supposed to describe. Unnecessary and – if you are represented by a lawyer – costly appeals and possibly even court proceedings are the result.
"In the law for severely handicapped persons, the medical report of findings plays a central role. Since the majority of applications are decided on the basis of these reports, they must make it clear in what way and to what extent restrictions exist in everyday life. It can therefore be useful to assess the personal situation beforehand Discuss with the doctors who are to be named in the application."
Michael Berger, Schleswig-Holstein State Office for Social Services
1. How long has your doctor been treating you??
Since when have you been treated by your doctor? This question must be answered specifically in the report. Make sure that the report is as up-to-date as possible. The state office for social services can only do little with reports of anno dazumal, if it concerns a current request. Of course, in certain cases it may be useful to make older reports available to the office – for example, to show how an illness has worsened over the years. In principle, however, the motto is: the more recent the report, the better.
2. What diagnosis does the doctor make in the report??
A proper report should include not only the duration of treatment but also a clear diagnosis. Your doctor will probably use a letter-number code in his report, the so-called ICD code. If you don’t know what you’re talking about at first, you can use various databases on the Internet to see what’s behind the jumble of numbers.
Make sure that your doctor has actually stated the same diagnosis that he or she has made the subject of discussion with you. It is not uncommon for the report to say something different, which can sometimes have consequences with regard to your application.
3. Is the severity of the illness and its effects on everyday life described??
One of the most important points in the report is the description of the disease. On the basis of these statements, the employee at the responsible office can and will classify which degree of disability (GdB) or which characteristic mark you are entitled to. Basis for this procedure is the Versorgungsmedizin-Verordnung, which you can download for free.
Can the patient still sit for a long time? Can he perform standing activities? On which areas does a mental illness have which effects?. All these questions should be described concisely but clearly in a report of findings. If this is not the case, it becomes difficult, knows Michael Berger, head of the department for severe disabilities law at the State Office for Social Services in Lubeck: "Since the majority of our applications are decided on the basis of the reports of your doctors, they must make clear in what way and to what extent there are limitations in everyday life."
4. Which therapies have already been carried out and with what results?
Has medication already been administered? Have these brought about an improvement. Has the patient tried physiotherapy? Which treatments were accomplished, plays an important role for the evaluation for the severely disabled person’s identity card. This part of the medical report is even more important in applications for reduced earning capacity pensions.
Here, too, your doctor should briefly describe what efforts have already been made. If this aspect is missing, there is a high probability that your application will be rejected or not decided in your favor. will not be decided in your favor.
5. What is your doctor’s prognosis?
This is always about the specific question of what you want to achieve with your application. If you are interested in a special parking permit, but the applicant must not be able to move more than 100 meters at a time, this question should be answered clearly by your doctor. If he or she comes to the conclusion that you can still manage this distance, you do not even need to submit the application. If he agrees with you, it must be clear from the report.
Another example: if you are a pain patient, the diagnosis should tell you if your doctor considers this condition to be chronic. Or that it has worsened over time and is likely to continue to do so.
Conclusion:
A meaningful report of findings need not be longer than a page or two. However, your treating physician should address all five of the points listed above in his or her report – and do so succinctly and accurately. In this way, he not only helps you, but also makes the administration’s job easier. Avoid contradictions, save duplicate requests for new expert opinions. This way everyone benefits.
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