# Answers, before you ask > Referrers, examinees, and examiners ask us the same questions. Here are the answers, in plain language. Source: https://imecore.com/faq ## Referring a case Insurers, law firms, employers, and public bodies ask these before the first referral. ### How do I refer a case? Send the referral at /refer with the examinee details, or use the referral link your IMECore contact gave you. Staff review every referral before anything is booked, then confirm the plan in the referral acknowledgement. ### What do you need with a referral? The referral letter with your questions, the claim or file number, the deadline, the examinee's contact details, and the records you already hold or where to request them. Missing pieces do not stop the referral. The acknowledgement lists what is still outstanding. ### How soon can you book? The referral acknowledgement confirms the booking window for your file, after staff review the referral questions, the specialty needed, and the deadline. Tell us the date you need when you refer so the booking is planned against it. ### How long until the report? In British Columbia the report often takes 4 to 8 weeks after the examination (lawyerinfo.ca, BC WCAT guide). Complex files and large record volumes add time. The referral acknowledgement confirms the expected date for your file. ### Can I ask for a rush? Yes. Say so when you refer and give the date the report is needed. The acknowledgement confirms whether that date is possible and what it depends on. ### Which assessments do you offer? Independent Medical Examination (IME), Functional Capacity Evaluation (FCE; Functional Abilities Evaluation or FAE in Ontario), Medical File Review, Insurer Examination, Catastrophic Impairment Assessment, Attendant Care Needs Assessment, Physical Demands Analysis, Job Site Assessment, Psychological Assessment, Psychiatric Assessment, Neuropsychological Assessment, Psycho-Vocational Assessment, Future Care Cost Assessment, Ergonomic Assessment, and Virtual Assessment. ### Which specialties do you work with? Orthopaedic surgery, physical medicine and rehabilitation, psychiatry, and psychology, matched to the referral question. Tell us what the file needs and the acknowledgement confirms the specialty. ### Where do you operate? Across Canada, in person and by video. Virtual assessments cover files where an in-person examination is not needed or not possible. ### Do you arrange interpreters, transport, and chaperones? Yes. Tell us when you refer so they are booked before the appointment. Interpreters and chaperones are arranged for the examination, and travel needs are coordinated with the examinee. ### Will the examiner testify if the file goes to hearing? Ask when you refer. The acknowledgement confirms whether the examiner assigned to your file is available for testimony. ### How is the report delivered? The report is released to the referrer through the client portal, section by section, with notice when it is ready. Nothing goes by email attachment. ### How is the fee built? Per assessment, confirmed in writing in the referral acknowledgement before anything is booked. The figure depends on the assessment type and the specialty. Write to us for a quote on your file. ### What is your cancellation policy? A cancellation policy applies to late changes, and the acknowledgement states the terms for your file. Contact the coordinator as early as you can to move a date. ### Where is our health information stored? Your health information stays in Canada. IMECore meets the FOIPPA residency requirement for every client, whether PIPEDA, BC PIPA, or FOIPPA applies to the file. Work that carries health information runs only on Canada-based processing, verified on every request. The trust page at /trust states the full position. ### Who can see the file? The examiner, the coordination team, and the party that ordered the assessment. Access follows the role: an employer view shows capability and restriction rather than diagnosis, and an examinee sees the record sources rather than their contents. Every access is logged. ## Attending an assessment Sent for an examination and unsure what happens. Start here, then read the full examinee guide. ### Is the examiner my doctor? No. The examiner is independent. They assess you once and write a report for the party that ordered it. They do not treat you and do not take over your care. The examinee guide at /for/examinees explains what this appointment is. ### What should I bring? Photo ID, the appointment letter, glasses or hearing aids you rely on, braces or assistive devices, and a list of current medications. Eat first and arrive early. The full checklist is at /for/examinees. ### How long does the appointment take? It varies by assessment type, and your appointment letter states the expected length. Plan for an interview plus a focused examination, with breaks when you need them. The examinee guide at /for/examinees describes what happens on the day. ### Can someone come with me? Ask before the day. Many clinics let a support person wait nearby, and fewer allow that person in the examination room. Tell the coordinator early if you need a support person present. Your rights on the day are listed at /for/examinees. ### Will there be a chaperone? A chaperone can be present for physical examinations. Ask the coordinator in advance so one is booked. The examinee guide at /for/examinees explains the role of the chaperone. ### What if I cannot attend? Contact the referrer and the coordinator as early as you can. A late cancellation may carry a fee charged to the party that ordered the examination, not to you. The steps are at /for/examinees. ### Who sees the report? The party that ordered the assessment receives it first, then shares it through the process for your claim type. The examiner, the coordination team, and the ordering party can see the file, and every access is logged. More at /for/examinees. ### Can I get a copy of the report? Ask the party that ordered the assessment. In litigation the report often reaches you through disclosure. Privacy law (PIPEDA or BC PIPA) also gives you a right to request your personal information. How to ask is explained at /for/examinees. ### What are my rights at the examination? Respect and privacy, a support person, an interpreter when needed, breaks, the right to stop the examination, and the right to complain. The full list is at /for/examinees. ### How do I complain about the examination? Write to us through the report-abuse page so there is a record, or raise it with the party that ordered the assessment. The examinee guide at /for/examinees lists the routes. ### Is a video assessment the same as attending in person? The duty is the same: an independent opinion for the party that ordered it. The format differs. You need a quiet private room and a stable connection. The examinee guide at /for/examinees explains how to prepare for either format. ## Joining the panel Physicians and psychologists asking how panel work runs: referrals, records, review, and pay. ### How do I join the examiner panel? Apply on the careers page at /careers with your specialty, practice location, and credentials. You can also write through the contact page. We review every note and reply. ### How do referrals reach me? Through the examiner portal. The referral questions and the sorted records arrive on the case for your review before anything is booked. Nothing arrives as an email attachment. ### How do I set my availability? Share your availability with your coordinator and bookings are planned against it. Update it when clinics, travel, or report-writing days change. ### How am I paid? Per assessment, on the terms agreed in your examiner agreement before the first referral. No figure is quoted here. The agreement states the rates and the payment timing. ### Who handles records and scheduling? The coordination team. Records arrive collected, sorted, and deduplicated, and scheduling runs against your availability. Work inside the portal: examiner agreements require it, so no records go over personal email. ### Who reviews my report before it goes out? A named reviewer checks every report before release: each referral question answered, the opinion reasoned, and citations pointing at the records. Nothing is released without sign-off.