How to Earn Money as a Physician File Reviewer

You can diversify your revenue base through disability and file review consulting. The work involved is low stress, low risk, can be done from home (with zero overhead), and almost never involves having to testify.  We’ll show you both how to get this work and how to deliver superior reviews at SEAK’s highly-acclaimed new online Streaming On-Demand course How to Start, Build and Run a Successful Disability and File Review Consulting Practice.  In addition, we’ll help you obtain file review work.

After attending How to Start, Build and Run a Successful Disability and File Review Consulting Practice you will be able to:

  • Understand what a high quality file review consists of
  • Learn the key medical-legal disability issues
  • Understand the differing disability standards and contractual terms
  • Efficiently write concise file reviews with supportable opinions
  • Understand how to deal with issues such as:  Functional ability, Diagnostic tests, and Impacts of medications on ability to work
  • Market yourself directly and confidently to disability insurers and others looking for file reviews
  • Understand the effects of inactivity

Frequently asked questions about Disability and File Review Consulting:

Q.  How large is the demand for file reviews?
A.  Enormous and growing.  Physicians are needed to perform millions of file reviews per year.  The ACA is adding millions of people to the insurance rolls, further driving demand.

Q.  Why is your file review course and directory so popular?
A.  This work can be done at home, is low stress, does not require any patient contact or travel and almost never results in having to testify. In addition, performing file reviews is an excellent way to stay current on the latest medical developments while at the same time, being compensated for your time.

Q.  Is there any training available to learn about Disability and File Review Consulting?
A.  Yes. SEAK’s highly-acclaimed new online Streaming On-Demand course How to Start, Build and Run a Successful Disability and File Review Consulting Practice.

Q.  How much will I be paid?
A.  $85-$200 or more per hour depending upon your specialty.

Q.  Do I need to have an active medical license?
A.  Yes.

Q. Do I need to be board certified?
A. Generally yes, this will be a requirement of most clients or will be required by law.

Q.  Do I need to maintain an active medical practice?
A.  Not necessarily, this depends upon the type of reviews you do, how well you perform the reviews and the requirements of your client.

Q.  What types of referral sources typically request file reviews?
A.  Independent Review Organizations, Health Insurers, Disability Insurers, Life Insurers, Casualty Insurers, Workers’ Compensation Insurers, Self-Insureds, Life Insurance Settlement Organizations, Medical Management Companies, Utilization Review Companies, Third Party Administrators, and Hospitals

Q. How can I start getting referrals?
A. The quickest and easiest way to get started doing file review is to join the SEAK National Directory of Medical File Review Consultants.

Q.  What types of assignments do medical file reviewers typically work on?
A.  Medical file reviews, Utilization reviews, Coding reviews, Chart reviews, Peer reviews, Second opinions, Underwriting reports, Medical Necessity Determinations, Concurrent and Retrospective reviews, Disability opinions, Pre-authorizations, etc.

Q. How can I succeed and earn repeat business from clients?
A.  Perform high quality reviews on a timely basis.

Q.  Are there full time positions available for physician file reviewers?
A.  Yes, these are numerous employment positions with competitive compensation packages and benefits and many offer work from home possibilities.  The key to landing these jobs is gaining experience and learning how to deliver excellent reviews starting with your first assignment.

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Here’s what your colleagues and File Review referral sources are saying about SEAK’s File Review training and SEAK’s Medical File Review Directory:

“Practicing medicine full time currently as well as working File Review Business I started after SEAK conference 2/20. Making over 5K monthly working with several review organizations………. it’s like making money doing crossword puzzles.”

“I am so happy that I attended SEAK and enrolled in the file review directory, it was very rewarding: mentally, professionally, socially, and financially. Most importantly I consider it healthy stress reducer.”

“Well organized and experienced speakers.”

“Well organized and informative.”

“Focused, efficient introduction to subject.”

“Well organized and polished.”

“Fantastic! Lively and engaging with a tremendous amount of information.”

“Outstanding! The wisdom of the staff is priceless.”

“Excellent topic with highly applicable practices to both clinical and non-clinical setting.”

“Opened up a new way of thinking for me – I’m ultra impressed!”

“I took your Disability and File review course in Feb 2018 in Clearwater. Since then I’ve achieved success like I never thought. There’s no way to even get started with expressing my appreciation that wouldn’t take an hour to write so I will just forgo it at this point in time.”

“Hi! I took your disability file review course last February and I’m happier than ever! I actually have time to write emails, I’m not hurt and exhausted all the time, and I’m making more money than I did as an employee. Thank you!!!”

“Excellent introduction into the field.”

“Thought provoking, learned a ton.”

“A very good resource to help me get started.”

“Superb seminar. I feel confident after attending that my present (IME & Medical Review) components of my practice which is now in its infancy, will really move ahead more quickly.”

“Well done/speakers supplemented and complemented each other nicely.”

“[Steve Babitsky} got me started in file review work and med-legal through his excellent courses.  I’m making twice the money I made in clinical practice!”

“It was a very good conference.   You are all good speakers and very knowledgeable.  It was interesting to get the insurer’s view on disability.   I should have done this earlier in my career. The first year of my career. This type of course should be a part of basic medical education.”

“Thank you! I intend to pursue file review as a career immediately. I’ve been doing IME’s for about four years and have developed an interest in the medical-legal field. Your training was my missing link and I’m confident I will be able to move forward. I couldn’t be more grateful!”

“Thank you! For your vision and purpose. I left inspired by your tenacity and long suffering. You reminded that honest Service to others is always rewarding.”

“Thank you for a great course and beautiful facilities. FYI. I am new to file reviews. I got my first contract less than 24 hours after leaving the course!!!!”

“Yes, it was just what I needed to get started, thank you so much for all your time and expertise. You clearly have put a great deal of effort into the course work. I appreciate your patience as well.”

“Thanks for made me a star! It is such a great honor for my work being recognized by you and your team! The training provided by SEAK Inc. has equipped me with more useful tools and skills that I can apply to my work.”

“It was great. I will be at the Chicago courses. I think you really found a needed niche. I will pass the word on to my colleagues.”

“I have been eyeing your courses for 8 years, I finally got coverage so I could attend this one this year. I wasn’t disappointed at all. I am hoping I have absorbed enough to be good at this. I REALLY want to leave clinical medicine as my primary full time job.”

“Awesome! Learned so much!”

“AWESOME!! -Subject matter in its entirety, delivery in sections.”

“Excellent-will help me write better reports.”

“Very highly qualified lecturers”

“Very informative, excellent delivery of knowledge.”

“Concise and informative”

“Exceeded all expectations”

“Excellent content, excellent facilities”

“Excellent training, comprehensive, provides the tools you need to enter and succeed performing in this kind of work”

“Excellent, impressive, inspiring, educational course, well organized”

“Had been considering work in file review, but did not feel confident in knowing what was expected in such a practice.  I now feel this is something I am able to do as a result of my training weekend”

“Helpful, to the point and direct on issues for how to analyze/do reviews”

“Impressive, informative, helpful”

“Superb”

“Well organized/comprehensive in scope/great location”

“Well worth the time”

“All excellent presenters”

“The conference was really super informative. Thank you so much for helping open a new part of my work life!”

“Wish I would have done it a few years ago when I started LTDs”.

“Thank you sir!! The conference was outstanding and provided me the information I need to confidently move forward in performing file review work part-time.  Excellent speakers and venue.”

“It was excellent work. Very useful information throughout the course. All speakers did a great job with all the topics. I was very much impressed with your very honest, and balanced approach. You came out as an authentic and a genuine person to help physician discover their potential.”

“Thank you so much! You had recommended this conference to me when we spoke last March. I am really glad that you did. I learned so much!”

“It was an interesting and very good course filled with lots of information, resources and leads. Hoping to put it all to good use shortly. “

“Thank you very much for the opportunity to attend the Disability and File Review conference. Now I have a much better idea of what is involved in this area and especially about what is involved to write a great report. You and Dr. Anfield and Dr. Alvino did an excellent job and keep the information coming with a lot of very useful content and real-life review examples. I would definitely recommend this course to clients of mine who are interested in this area, as I know they would gain useful knowledge and concrete skills to be able to be find work and be successful doing reviews.”

“Excellent course. Putting the different aspects of file and case review into perspective with regard to the health industry and opportunities for physician consultants was very enlightening.”

“[The course] was fantastic. I’m definitely going to try to do a few reviews now and thank you for giving me the tools to do so!”

“Thank you for your hard work. I enjoyed the weekend. It was my 4th or 5th SEAK course and they have all been very helpful.”

“Outstanding!”

“Phenomenal – should be a requirement for all physicians who perform file reviews. The instructors were superb – bright, experienced, excellent presenters, practical, and humorous.”

“A very informative seminar. I learned a lot about a source of revenue that I had not previously been aware of.”

“Very informative and practical.”

“Well organized with highly experienced staff”

“Excellent, stimulating, useful, very helpful”

“Lots of content, thank you”

“Excellent, enjoyed all faculty very much.  Found [case studies] especially helpful”

“Very informative and practical.  Makes me feel prepared to start a disability review career”

“Awesome”

“Very good, taught by very experienced faculty”

“Well organized, packed with info”

“Stimulating and challenging”

“Excellent very informative”

“[Learned the] wide range of possible opportunities in this field”

“Excellent instruction in proper format, writing style for reviews”

“Presenters were experts in their field”

“Excellent presentation, kept my interest, clear and practical.  Generous with tips – I so appreciate”

“Excellent all around”

“In the past 18 months, the SEAK Medical File Review Directory has generated over 300 referrals, which has resulted in $100,000 in business. Thank you!”

“From your Directory, I have been contacted by about 5 companies, each company has requested between 200 – 600 chart reviews”

“I was listed in the SEAK File Review Directory for a year, and in addition to offers for “prn” case review work, a company called about a job which, full time, would pay $200,000 plus benefits, and part  time, 3 days per week, $120,000 plus benefits.”

“I have gained at least four new business clients from the directory.  Two of which are using my services frequently!  I wish I would have listed with SEAK years ago when I was developing my consulting business. Thank you!”

“I am now doing a fairly brisk file review business, thanks in part to your course and Directory.  I have cut down my clinical practice to about 50%, and no longer do inpatient work…whew!!!”

“I registered with your Directory last year as an experiment, and it turned out to be a very useful investment. I’ll be recommending it to friends and colleagues. Many thanks.”

“Last year, I signed up for your directory and was impressed by the immediate responses I received.”

“I am happy to report that thanks to SEAK I was recently contacted by one of the organizations that provides disability review services to the insurance industry. As you may remember, I attended the Disability Consulting for Physicians conference. Well, two weeks ago I received a call from Seattle asking my interest in providing review of short-term and long-term disability cases. The caller indicated that he had received my name from SEAK. So, I want to extend my personal appreciation for your insight in putting on the conference.”

“I have been getting several file review jobs from the SEAK listings!  I would like to kindly request a copy of the SEAK Expert Witness Directory as well.  I am considering adding myself to this directory as well. Thank you!”

“From your Directory, I have had 5 or 6 referrals, of which, now I work with 2 regularly.”

“I found the file review very interesting, challenging and actually learned from my reviews.”

 “Thanks to my listing with SEAK, I’ve become Medical File Review Consultant for three organizations. I receive regular work from them but see my work with them as a diversification of income source.”

 “I got a great customer from u guys and now I am too busy!  I would highly recommend your organization, and I do.”

 “I think the directory is terrific”

 “At this point because I now have so much review work (repeat from certain clients) that I can’t really take on any more at the current time with my clinical schedule. (it is a testimony of the success of the listing).”

“Excellent, very useful.”

“Great”

“Consistently engaging and met objectives”

“Well groomed curriculum and content”

“Very informative, encouraging”

“Very good, just what I needed”

“Excellent, well done, appropriate concepts”

“Informative, well organized”

“Carefully crafted and paced”

“As usual SEAK = excellence. A beacon of light for docs.”

“Your hands on training for file and disability reviews has been honed into an excellent educational experience that changes the lives of the physician attendees. At a time of re-inventing my career it was inspirational.”

“Well structured, informative, enabling one to understand how to get started with file review work.”

“Very practical and gave me the tools I need.”

“Excellent overall. Well organized, engaging speakers with useful info.”

“Excellent resource! Very glad I came.”

“Very informative and professional”

“I thought the presenters were very knowledgeable and gave excellent presentation. They provided lots of information and examples.”

“The presenters were excellent and knowledgeable”

 “Good rotation of speakers, good length of discussions”