Medical Advisory Commission

in the USSR and other socialist countries, a special commission attached to health institutions that verifies the correctness of diagnosis and treatment of patients with doctor’s certificates of disability and that arranges to extend sick leave beyond the time set by the attending physician.

A medical advisory commission also deals with disputes and conflicts concerning the work capacity of patients, refers patients to a medical labor commission for the determination of disability, makes work arrangements (transfer to other work, exemption from night shifts, business trips, and so forth), arranges for academic sick leave, and authorizes sanatorium or health resort treatment. Such commissions are organized in medical institutions having at least 15 physicians’ posts. A commission consists of the deputy chief physician for determination of disability (chairman of the commission), the director of the appropriate department, and the attending physician. In a medical institution with a smaller number of physicians’ posts, the commission’s functions are performed by the attending physicians jointly with the department director or chief physician. In other countries, the degree of disability is determined by the attending physician or by a commission (in the social security system).