Medical Panels

(1) Following receipt of notice of a workplace injury and the employee expressing a need for medical care, an employer shall, as soon as practicable but no later than three (3) business days after receipt of such request, provide the employee a panel of physicians as prescribed in T.C.A. § 50-6-204. A medical provider must be qualified, willing, and able to treat in a timely manner the injury or condition reported to be listed on a panel. (2) In the absence of evidence establishing a defense, where the employer fails to provide an appropriate initial panel of physicians to the employee within three (3) business days from the date the employer has notice of a work-related injury and the employee expressed a need for medical care, or provides a panel of physicians to the employee that does not meet statutory requirements, the employer may be assessed a civil penalty as provided in 0800-02-01-.10. GENERAL RULES OF THE WORKERS’ COMPENSATION PROGRAM CHAPTER 0800-02-01 The determination of whether a penalty is appropriate is a determination separate from and not dependent upon the ultimate compensability of the claim. (3) The employer shall immediately provide proper emergency assistance (i.e. EMT, ambulance, etc.) for any workplace injury that causes the need for emergency care. After the injured employee’s medical condition has stabilized, the employer shall follow the requirements of subsection (1) above, the same as any alleged workplace injury not requiring emergency care. (4) Employers may direct injured employees to onsite, in-house or other similar employer- sponsored medical providers prior to providing an initial panel of physicians for an examination as allowed in T.C.A. § 50-6-204(d)(1). Having such a provider examine the injured employee does not satisfy nor alleviate the requirement for providing an appropriate panel within the three (3) business days referenced in 0800-02-01-.06(2) above. Employers may list that employer-sponsored medical provider as an option on the medical panel provided the provider meets the statutory requirements; however, the employee has the ultimate decision regarding which physician is selected. (5) Walk-in clinics, urgent care facilities and other similar providers may be an option on a medical panel if the provider is staffed by at least one physician and the name of the staff physician or medical director is also indicated on the panel. Associated walk-in clinics, urgent care facilities and other similar providers may be listed on the same medical panel to the extent allowed by law provided different staff physicians or medical directors are named for each different location. (6) When the name of a specialty practice group, consisting of multiple physicians willing to treat workers’ compensation employees, is provided as an option on any panel provided by the employer rather than an individual physician’s name and that group is chosen by the employee, the employee will have the final choice as to which appropriate physician from within that group shall become the authorized treating physician. (7) Nurse Practitioners, Physician Assistants and other mid-level practice extenders under the supervision, direction and ultimate responsibility of a licensed physician accountable to the Board of Medical Examiners may provide medical treatment ordered by an attending physician to an injured employee in accordance with their licensing. Notwithstanding this use of practice extenders in treatment settings, only the supervising physician may be listed on an Employee Choice of Physician Form C-42, may determine medical causation regarding the injury, may issue a permanent impairment rating, and may determine the date of an injured employee’s maximum medical improvement. (8) In cases involving an injury that occurred on or after July 1, 2014, and the authorized treating physician, selected by the employee from an initial panel, refers the employee for specialized care, the employer shall be deemed to have accepted the referral, unless the employer, within three (3) business days, provides a panel of three (3) or more independent reputable physicians, surgeons, chiropractors or specialty practice groups to the employee pursuant to T.C.A. § 50-6-204(a)(3)(A). (a) If a panel of three (3) specialists is provided, the employee shall select a provider from the panel and that provider shall become the employee’s authorized treating physician. (b) For purposes of this section, receipt of the referral by the employer shall be accomplished whenever a copy of the referral is received at the employer or carrier’s place of business by facsimile, email, post, hand delivery or commercial delivery service. GENERAL RULES OF THE WORKERS’ COMPENSATION PROGRAM CHAPTER 0800-02-01