Section 81.03. Definitions.

  Unless otherwise provided, in this chapter:

(1)  "Active treatment" means treatment specified in ss. DWD 81.06 (4) , 81.07 (4) , 81.08 (4) , 81.09 (4) , and 81.10 (2) that requires active patient participation in a therapeutic program to increase flexibility, strength, endurance, or awareness of proper body mechanics.

(2)  "Chronic pain" means complaint of persistent pain beyond 12 weeks of appropriate treatment provided under this chapter. It is persistent with verbal and nonverbal pain behaviors that exceed the identifiable pathology and medical condition. It is pain that interferes with physical, psychological, social, or vocational functioning.

(3)  "Condition" means the symptoms, physical signs, clinical findings, and functional status that characterize a person's complaint, illness, or injury related to a current claim for compensation.

(4)  "Day" means calendar day.

(5)  "Emergency treatment" means treatment that is required for the immediate diagnosis and treatment of a medical condition that, if not immediately diagnosed and treated, could lead to serious physical or mental disability or death, or is immediately necessary to alleviate severe pain. Emergency treatment includes treatment delivered in response to symptoms that may or may not represent an actual emergency but that is necessary to determine whether an emergency exists.

(6)  "Etiology" means the anatomic alteration, physiologic dysfunction, or other biological or psychological abnormality that is considered a cause of the patient's condition.

(7)  "Functional status" means the ability of an individual to engage in activities of daily living and other social, recreational, and vocational activities.

(8)  "Initial nonsurgical management or treatment" is initial treatment provided after an injury that includes passive treatment, active treatment, injections, and durable medical equipment under ss. DWD 81.06 (3) , (4) , (5) , and (8) , 81.07 (3) , (4) , (5) , and (8) , 81.08 (3) , (4) , (5) , and (8) , 81.09 (3) , (4) , (5) , and (8) , and 81.10 (2) . Scheduled and nonscheduled medication may be a part of initial nonsurgical treatment. Initial nonsurgical management does not include surgery or chronic management modalities under s. DWD 81.13 .

(9)  "Medical imaging procedure" is a technique, process, or technology used to create a visual image of the body or its function. Medical imaging includes X-rays, tomography, angiography, venography, myelography, computed tomography scanning, magnetic resonance imaging scanning, ultrasound imaging, nuclear isotope imaging, positron emission tomography scanning, and thermography.

(10)  "Medically necessary treatment" means those health services for a compensable injury that are reasonable and necessary for the diagnosis and to cure or relieve a condition consistent with any applicable treatment guidelines in this chapter. If ss. DWD 81.04 to 81.13 do not apply, the treatment must be reasonable and necessary for the diagnosis and to cure or relieve a condition consistent with the current accepted standards of practice within the scope of the provider's license or certification.

(11)  "Neurologic deficit" means a loss of function secondary to involvement of the central or peripheral nervous system. This includes motor loss; spasticity; loss of reflex; radicular or anatomic sensory loss; loss of bowel, bladder or erectile function; impairment of special senses, including vision, hearing, taste, or smell; or deficits in cognitive or memory function.

(12)  "Progressive neurologic deficit" means any neurologic deficit that has become worse by history or been noted by repeated examination since onset.

(13)  "Passive treatment" is any treatment modality specified in ss. DWD 81.06 (3) , 81.07 (3) , 81.08 (3) , 81.09 (3) , and 81.10 (2) . Passive treatment modalities include bedrest, thermal treatment, traction, acupuncture, electrical muscle stimulation, braces, manual and mechanical therapy, massage, and adjustments.

(14)  "Static neurologic deficit" means any neurologic deficit that has remained the same by history or been noted by repeated examination since onset.

(15)  "Therapeutic injection" is any injection modality specified in ss. DWD 81.06 (5) , 81.07 (5) , 81.08 (5) , 81.09 (5) , and 81.10 (2) . Therapeutic injections include trigger point injections, sacroiliac injections, facet joint injections, facet nerve blocks, nerve root blocks, epidural injections, soft tissue injections, peripheral nerve blocks, injections for peripheral nerve entrapment, and sympathetic blocks.

(16)  "Week" means calendar week.

CR 07-019 : cr. Register October 2007 No. 622 , eff. 11-1-07.