What is serial FCE testing?
Serial FCE testing uses a baseline FCE that is performed early in the patient’s treatment program, followed by testing at 2-week or 3-week intervals until the patient has plateaued or is ready to return to work. The first test is usually comprehensive, while the follow-up tests are specific to those functional abilities that are the focus of treatment. These types of FCE are relatively inexpensive, with report that are provided to the physician and insurance carrier almost immediately. In medicine, it is analogous to a laboratory blood test or bacterial culture. It helps to direct the treatment plan.
