FCE Coordination: What Attorneys and Adjusters Need to Know

A Functional Capacity Evaluation is one of the most complex appointments to coordinate in a WC case. Here's what proper FCE coordination looks like and why it matters.

A Functional Capacity Evaluation (FCE) is designed to objectively measure what an injured worker can and cannot do physically — lifting capacity, range of motion, sustained activity tolerance, and more. The results directly influence return-to-work decisions, permanent impairment ratings, and settlement negotiations. That makes the FCE one of the highest-stakes appointments on a workers' compensation file, and one of the most logistically demanding to coordinate.

What Makes FCE Coordination Different

Unlike a standard medical appointment, an FCE has several variables that require careful upfront coordination:

• One day or two? FCEs are commonly structured as either a single full day or two half-days. You need to confirm the format with the evaluating facility before contacting the claimant — scheduling a one-day claimant for a two-day evaluation creates immediate problems.
• Physical preparation matters. Claimants need specific instructions: comfortable, loose clothing; a current list of medications and dosages; documentation of any active restrictions from their treating physician. Missing any of these can delay or invalidate the evaluation.
• Multi-day scheduling is harder to hold. Coordinating two consecutive or near-consecutive days across the claimant's availability, the facility's schedule, and the attorney or adjuster's timeline requires more communication touchpoints than a single appointment.
• Attendance must be confirmed after each session. A claimant who completes day one but doesn't return for day two produces an incomplete evaluation — which is often unusable. Same-day confirmation after each session is not optional.

The Coordination Workflow

At Claims & Kinnect Solutions, every FCE follows this sequence:

1. Confirm with the facility whether the evaluation is one or two days
2. Coordinate the claimant's availability for all required sessions before locking in dates
3. Provide the claimant with written instructions: arrival time, location, what to wear, what to bring, and treating physician restrictions
4. Send 48-hour and 24-hour reminders before each session
5. Confirm attendance with the facility after each day and notify the requesting attorney or adjuster immediately
6. Document every contact in the case portal with timestamps

What Happens When FCE Coordination Falls Short

The most common failures:

• Claimant arrives for a two-day evaluation expecting one day — leaves after day one believing they're done
• No-show on day two due to lack of reminder or unclear instructions
• Claimant unprepared — no medication list, wrong clothing — evaluation is rescheduled
• Attendance not confirmed after day one, so no one knows the claimant didn't return for day two until days later

Each of these outcomes adds cost, delays the file, and in some cases requires the entire evaluation to be rescheduled at full cost.

Ready to Refer?

Submit at claimsandkinnectsolutions.netlify.app or email referrals@claimsandkinnectsolutions.org. Most FCEs are scheduled within 48 hours of a complete referral.