Industrial Commission Medical Specialist Resources

Specialist Examiner Credentialing

Requirements

Prerequisite to temporary appointment, specialists examining on behalf of the Industrial Commission (IC) must have the following credentials:

1. A current unrestricted license to practice issued by the appropriate state licensing board.
2. Specialty Certification:
• Medical Doctor (M.D.)--board certification as recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialties
• Doctor of Osteopathy (D.O.)--board certification as recognized by the American Osteopathic Association
• Chiropractor (D.C.)--diplomate status in Orthopedics, Neurology, Internal Disorders, Sports Medicine or Occupational Health
• Psychologist (Ph.D., Psy.D., Ed.D.)--three years experience in Health Psychology or Behavioral Medicine, or one year post doctoral training and two years clinical experience in Health Psychology or Behavioral Medicine
• Doctor of Dental Surgery (D.D.S.) or board certification in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
• Podiatrist (D.P.M.)--diplomate status by the American Board of Podiatric Surgery
3. No suspension, public reprimand, or probation from professional practice within the past five years.
4. The specialist must maintain at her/his expense, professional liability insurance of $1,000,000 per Incident and $1,000,000 per annum.

Prerequisite to provisional appointment, specialists examining on behalf of the Industrial Commission (IC) must have the following credentials:

1. A current unrestricted license to practice issued by the appropriate state licensing board.
2. Specialty Certification:
• Medical Doctor (M.D.)--board certification as recognized by the American Board of Medical  Specialties
• Doctor of Osteopathy (D.O.)--board certification as recognized by the American Osteopathic Association or the American Board of Medical Specialties  
• Chiropractor (D.C.)--diplomate status in Orthopedics, Neurology, Internal Disorders, Sports Medicine or Occupational Health
• Psychologist (Ph.D., Psy.D., Ed.D.)--three years experience in Health Psychology or Behavioral Medicine, or one year post doctoral training and two years clinical experience in Health Psychology or Behavioral Medicine
• Doctor of Dental Surgery (D.D.S.) or board certification in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
• Podiatrist (D.P.M.)--diplomate status by the American Board of Podiatric Surgery
3. Unrestricted eligibility to participate in Medicare and Medicaid programs.
4. No suspension, public reprimand, or probation from professional practice within the past five years.
5. The specialist must maintain at her/his expense, professional liability insurance of $1,000,000 per incident and $1,000,000 per annum.
6. The specialist must have two years of full time, clinical practice experience in her/his specialty.
7. The specialist must document eight hours of continuing medical education credits (CME) within the past five years, specific to impairment rating.
8. The specialist must practice direct patient care in her/his specialty at least eight hours per week on a recurring basis for forty weeks per year or have had an active clinical practice or office practice of at least five years duration voluntarily closed within the past seven years.

Temporary Appointment

Temporary appointment is an internal Medical Services function that facilitates utilization of a needed specialist. This designation is meant to fill an immediate need of the Industrial Commission for an examination by an out-of-state specialist, or infrequently used in-state specialist. The specialist’s application for temporary approval is received from the specialist and reviewed by the Deputy Director of Medical Services. 

Provisional Appointment

During the first twelve months of provisional appointment:

• Examinations will be assigned to specialist at a rate of no greater than two per month, starting after orientation.
• The reports of these examinations will be reviewed by the Deputy Director of Medical Services and the Chief Medical Advisor.
• When opportunities for education, improvement of reports, and improvement of the examination process present themselves, these will be discussed with the specialist.
• If, at the end of the provisional period, the specialist’s responses to educational efforts, reports, and examinations meet acceptable quality standards, then recommendation will be made by the Chief Medical Advisor for appointment to the Industrial Commission Specialist Examiners panel.
• If appointed, the specialist is sent a letter of active status appointment.
• If, at the end of the provisional period, the specialist’s response to educational efforts, reports, and examinations do not meet acceptable quality standards, or if, there is no longer felt to be a need for the specialist’s services, then recommendation will be made by the Chief Medical Advisor not to advance the specialist to the IC Specialists panel, and the specialist is sent a letter unable to approve advancement to active status.

Reappointment

After five years of service on the panel, the specialist will be required to attest to continued compliance with the requirements for appointment, and provide documentation of CME credits earned as outlined above.

• If at the time of application for reappointment the specialist is found to be in continual compliance with the requirements for appointment, and there is still felt to be a need for the specialist’s services, and if, at the end of the reappointment period, the specialist’s responses to educational efforts, reports, and examinations meet acceptable quality standards, then recommendation will be made by the Chief Medical Advisor (CMA) for reappointment to the Industrial Commission Specialist Examiners panel.
• If reappointed, the specialist is sent a letter of active status appointment.
• If, at the time of application for reappointment, the specialist’s response to educational efforts, reports, and examinations do not meet acceptable quality standards, or if, there is no longer felt to be a need for the specialist’s services, then recommendation will be made by the CMA not to advance the specialist to the IC Specialists panel, and the specialist is sent a letter unable to approve active status. The specialist status is changed to “Inactive.”

Removal from the specialists’ panel

The participation of a specialist on the medical specialist panel is at the sole discretion of the Commission.

If the Commission determines that there is no longer a need for the participation of a specialist on the medical specialist panel designated Medical Services personnel will send written notification to the specialist that the Commission is unable to extend appointment to the medical specialist panel. 

If at any time during active status, a specialist’s examinations, reviews, or reports do not meet acceptable quality standards as determined by the Chief Medical Advisor or/and the specialist’s responses to educational efforts undertaken by the Commission fail to cure identified deficiencies, the Chief Medical Advisor will recommend that the specialist be removed from the medical specialist panel. 

If it is deemed necessary the Industrial Commission Quality Committee will convene to review the assertion that a specialist’s examinations, reviews or reports fail to meet acceptable quality standards and the Quality Committee will advise as to further appropriate action.

I.C.O.N. is your online resource for managing your hearing file. Logon to file appeals, objections, continuances, cancellations, request services, and view or add documents to your hearing folder.

We're here to help! Call, fax or email us at askIC@ic.state.oh.us with questions and concerns.

Download individual PDFs of IC forms.

Get the information you need to comply with IC rules, resolutions, policies and guidelines.

Confused about the process or what is expected of you? Visit the Appeals Process section to learn the ins and outs of workers’ compensation claims and hearings.