ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Attending physician statement

An attending physician statement is like a special report that a doctor writes about someone's health when they are sick or injured. Imagine you have a doctor who knows a lot about your body and how it works. When you have a problem, like a tummy ache or a broken bone, you go to your doctor and they check what is wrong with you. They ask you questions, examine your body, and sometimes even order special tests like x-rays or blood tests to find out more.

Now, let's say you need to tell someone else about your health, like an insurance company or your school. They want to understand how sick or hurt you are, so they can help you in the best way possible. But they can't just take your word for it. They want to hear what your doctor has to say because they are an expert in understanding your body.

That's where the attending physician statement comes in. Your doctor writes this special report to tell the insurance company or the school how sick or injured you are. They write it in a language that the insurance company or the school understands, with lots of medical words that might be hard for us to understand. They describe your symptoms, like if you have a fever or cough, and they also explain what they saw during their examination. If you had any tests, they will tell the insurance company or the school what the results were and what they mean for your health.

This report is important because it helps the insurance company or the school decide how to help you. They may need to give you special treatments or accommodations based on how sick or injured you are. It also helps them make sure that you are not trying to get extra help when you don't really need it. For example, if you say you have a broken arm but your doctor says it's just a small bruise, the report will help the insurance company or the school know the truth.

So, the attending physician statement is a special report that your doctor writes to help the insurance company or the school understand how sick or injured you are, and to help them decide how to help you. Your doctor is like a health detective, and they write this report to share their findings with others who need to know.