Services
Can this assessment be done remotely?
Some assessments run by video and some do not. Psychiatric, psychological, and occupational medicine evaluations usually run remotely, and file reviews need no appointment at all. Functional capacity evaluations, full neuropsychology batteries, job site analyses, ergonomic assessments, and diagnostic testing need an in-person visit.
Assessment types
Which services can run virtually
IMECore's service catalogue records modality per code. Virtual assessments are separate codes (VIME, VOME, VNPsy), not a flag on an in-person service.
| Assessment type | Virtual? | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Medical file review | No appointment | A records-only opinion. The examiner never sees the person. IMECore books it as MFR with modality records_only. |
| Psychiatric or psychological IME | Yes | Interview and mental-status examination translate to video. The catalogue carries VIME, VNPsy, and VNEUR as distinct virtual codes. |
| Occupational medicine evaluation | Yes | History and focused examination by video when no hands-on testing is required. VOME and VOMR are the virtual catalogue codes. |
| General specialist IME (non-physical) | Often | Works when the referral questions can be answered from history, records review, and observation over video. The referrer must confirm the specialty does not need a physical examination. |
| Vocational assessment | Sometimes | Paper-based transferable-skills analysis can run remotely. Standardized vocational testing that needs proctored materials cannot. VVOC covers the virtual variant. |
| Functional capacity evaluation (FCE) | No | Requires the examinee on site for standardized physical testing. FCE, FCE-2, and FCERe are in_person only in the catalogue. |
| Cognitive functional capacity (CFCE) | No | Hands-on cognitive and physical testing over one or two days. CFCE, CFCE2, and CPFCE are in_person only. |
| Neuropsychology assessment (full battery) | No | A multi-hour in-person test battery. NEURO is in_person. VNEUR is a separate virtual code for cases where the referral scope fits video. |
| Job site analysis | No | The examiner must attend the workplace. JSA is in_person only. |
| Ergonomic assessment | No | Requires on-site observation of the workstation. ERGO is in_person only. |
| Diagnostic testing | No | Laboratory or imaging attendance is required. DIAG and DIA are in_person only. |
Examinee readiness
What the examinee needs on the day
Virtual assessments fail when the room, the device, or the connection is wrong. Confirm these before you confirm the booking.
Device
A laptop, computer, or tablet with a working camera and microphone. A phone alone is usually too small for a full assessment.
Connection
A reliable wired or wireless internet connection. Mobile data alone is a risk on a long interview.
Private room
A closed room where nobody else can hear or see the session for its full duration. Public spaces and shared offices do not qualify.
Photo ID
Government-issued photo identification, shown on camera at the start so the examiner can confirm who is on the call.
Duration
Most virtual assessments run 60 to 180 minutes depending on specialty. Plan the full block, not just the interview portion.
More on examinee rights and what to bring: What to expect at an independent medical examination.
Consent and recording
Separate consents, recorded separately
This is the part most competitor sites skip. Below is what IMECore actually stores — not what we plan to build.
Consent to the examination vs portal access
The instruction letter covers consent to the medico-legal assessment. Opening the examinee portal is a separate act: IMECore writes a consent_record row per purpose — portal_access, data_collection, and others — each with a versioned notice string (apps/web/src/db/schema/consent.ts, apps/web/src/lib/compliance/notices.ts). A person can agree to the examination in writing and still need to grant portal access before they see the join link.
Call recording is opt-in
Before a voice call is recorded, the examinee hears a prompt and must press 1 or say yes. Opt-in writes one row to call_recording_consent; refusal writes nothing — no row means no stored recording, ever. The recordingKey is set only after that row exists (apps/web/src/lib/voice/recording-consent.ts). Examiner dictation audio follows a different path: exam_audio rows point at object keys in the Canada-resident R2 bucket and carry no filename or claimant name (apps/web/src/db/schema/exam-audio.ts).
Privacy
Which laws apply
Canadian privacy law only on this page. We do not reference HIPAA or GDPR for Canadian files.
PIPEDA
The federal baseline for private-sector personal information in Canada.
BC PIPA
Governs claimant and examiner data for private clients: insurers, law firms, and employers.
FOIPPA (BC)
Applies when the client is a public body. WorkSafeBC and ICBC are examples IMECore treats under this bar.
Full controls and model residency rules: Trust and security.
FAQ
Questions referrers ask about virtual assessments
Is consent to a virtual assessment the same as consent to the assessment itself?
No. The instruction letter or retainer covers consent to the examination as a medico-legal service. Opening the examinee portal is separate: IMECore records portal access and data collection as distinct consent events, each with a versioned notice. A person can agree to the examination in writing and still need to grant portal access before they see the join link.
Is the virtual session recorded?
Only if the examinee opts in on a voice call — press 1 or say yes. Refusal writes nothing: no consent row means no stored recording, ever. A recording key is set only after consent exists. Examiner dictation audio is a separate path: audio object keys live in the Canada-resident file bucket and carry no filename or claimant name.
How does the examinee get the join link?
Staff set a join link on the appointment before it can be confirmed. The link travels by confirmation email and the examinee portal only. Reminder text messages state the date and time but deliberately carry no URL, because anyone holding the phone could use it.
Which Canadian privacy laws apply?
PIPEDA is the federal baseline for private-sector personal information. BC PIPA governs how we handle claimant and examiner data for private clients such as insurers, law firms, and employers. FOIPPA applies when the client is a public body — WorkSafeBC and ICBC are examples. IMECore builds to the strictest of these; we do not reference HIPAA or GDPR on Canadian files.
Can a virtual assessment replace an in-person FCE?
No. A functional capacity evaluation requires standardized physical tasks the examiner must observe in person. Booking one as virtual contradicts the service catalogue and the system refuses the mismatch.
What if the examinee has no suitable device or private room?
Book in person or arrange a supervised clinic room with equipment. IMECore tracks examinee readiness as preconditions on the case — device, private space, and internet. See the examinee page for what to expect on the day.
Refer a virtual assessment
Send the referral and the questions. A coordinator confirms readiness and consent, then IMECore coordinates the examination and delivers a signed report.