(a) Applicability. This section applies to designated doctor assignments made on or after June 5, 2023.
(b) Qualification standards by type of injury or diagnosis. A designated doctor is qualified to perform a designated doctor examination on an injured employee if the designated doctor meets the appropriate qualification standard for the area of the body affected by the injury and the injured employee's diagnosis and has no disqualifying associations under §127.140 of this title (relating to Disqualifying Associations). A designated doctor's qualification standards are as follows:
  (1) To examine injuries and diagnoses relating to the hand and upper extremities, a designated doctor must be a licensed medical doctor, doctor of osteopathy, or doctor of chiropractic.
  (2) To examine injuries and diagnoses relating to the lower extremities excluding feet, a designated doctor must be a licensed medical doctor, doctor of osteopathy, or doctor of chiropractic.
  (3) To examine injuries and diagnoses relating to the spine and musculoskeletal structures of the torso, a designated doctor must be a licensed medical doctor, doctor of osteopathy, or doctor of chiropractic.
  (4) To examine injuries and diagnoses relating to feet, including toes and heel, a designated doctor must be a licensed medical doctor, doctor of osteopathy, doctor of chiropractic, or doctor of podiatric medicine.
  (5) To examine injuries and diagnoses relating to the teeth and jaw, including a temporomandibular joint, a designated doctor must be a licensed medical doctor, doctor of osteopathy, or doctor of dental surgery.
  (6) To examine injuries and diagnoses relating to the eyes, including the eye and adnexal structures of the eye, a designated doctor must be a licensed medical doctor, doctor of osteopathy, or doctor of optometry.
  (7) To examine injuries and diagnoses relating to mental and behavioral disorders, a designated doctor must be a licensed medical doctor or doctor of osteopathy.
  (8) A designated doctor must be a licensed medical doctor or doctor of osteopathy to examine injuries and diagnoses relating to other body areas or systems, including, but not limited to:
    (A) internal systems;
    (B) ear, nose, and throat;
    (C) head and face;
    (D) skin;
    (E) cuts to skin involving underlying structures;
    (F) non-musculoskeletal structures of the torso;
    (G) hernia;
    (H) respiratory;
    (I) endocrine;
    (J) hematopoietic; and
    (K) urologic.
  (9) Notwithstanding paragraphs (1) - (8) of this subsection, a designated doctor must be a licensed medical doctor or doctor of osteopathy with the required board certification to examine any of the following diagnoses.
    (A) For purposes of this section, a designated doctor is "board-certified" in a required specialty or subspecialty, as applicable, if they hold or previously held:
      (i) a general certificate in the required specialty or a subspecialty certificate in the required subspecialty from the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS); or
      (ii) a primary certificate in the required specialty and a certificate of special qualifications or certificate of added qualifications in the required subspecialty from the American Osteopathic Association Bureau of Osteopathic Specialists (AOABOS).
    (B) To examine traumatic brain injuries, including concussion and post-concussion syndrome, a designated doctor must be board-certified by the ABMS or AOABOS.
      (i) Qualifying ABMS certifications are:
        (I) neurological surgery;
        (II) neurology;
        (III) physical medicine and rehabilitation;
        (IV) psychiatry;
        (V) orthopaedic surgery;
        (VI) occupational medicine;
        (VII) dermatology;
        (VIII) plastic surgery;
        (IX) surgery;
        (X) anesthesiology with a subspecialty in pain medicine;
        (XI) emergency medicine;
        (XII) internal medicine;
        (XIII) thoracic and cardiac surgery; or
        (XIV) family medicine.
      (ii) Qualifying AOABOS certifications are:
        (I) neurological surgery;
        (II) neurology;
        (III) physical medicine and rehabilitation;
        (IV) psychiatry;
        (V) orthopedic surgery;
        (VI) preventive medicine/occupational-environmental medicine;
        (VII) preventive medicine/occupational;
        (VIII) dermatology;
        (IX) plastic and reconstructive surgery;
        (X) surgery (general);
        (XI) anesthesiology with certificate of added qualifications in pain management;
        (XII) emergency medicine;
        (XIII) internal medicine;
        (XIV) thoracic and cardiovascular surgery; or
        (XV) family practice and osteopathic manipulative treatment.
    (C) To examine spinal cord injuries and diagnoses, including a spinal fracture with documented neurological injury, or vascular injury, more than one spinal fracture, or cauda equina syndrome, a designated doctor must be board-certified by the ABMS or AOABOS.
      (i) Qualifying ABMS certifications are:
        (I) neurological surgery;
        (II) neurology;
        (III) physical medicine and rehabilitation;
        (IV) orthopaedic surgery; or
        (V) occupational medicine.
      (ii) Qualifying AOABOS certifications are:
        (I) neurological surgery;
        (II) neurology;
        (III) physical medicine and rehabilitation;
        (IV) orthopedic surgery;
        (V) preventive medicine/occupational-environmental medicine; or
        (VI) preventive medicine/occupational.
    (D) To examine severe burns, including chemical burns defined as deep partial or full thickness burns, also known as second, third, or fourth-degree burns, a designated doctor must be board-certified by the ABMS or AOABOS.
      (i) Qualifying ABMS certifications are:
        (I) dermatology;
        (II) physical medicine and rehabilitation;
        (III) plastic surgery;
        (IV) orthopaedic surgery;
        (V) surgery; or
        (VI) occupational medicine.
      (ii) Qualifying AOABOS certifications are:
        (I) dermatology;
        (II) physical medicine and rehabilitation;
        (III) plastic and reconstructive surgery;
        (IV) orthopedic surgery;
        (V) surgery (general);
        (VI) preventive medicine/occupational-environmental medicine; or
        (VII) preventive medicine/occupational.
    (E) To examine complex regional pain syndrome (reflex sympathetic dystrophy), a designated doctor must be board-certified by the ABMS or AOABOS.
      (i) Qualifying ABMS certifications are:
        (I) neurological surgery;
        (II) neurology;
        (III) orthopaedic surgery;
        (IV) plastic surgery;
        (V) anesthesiology with a subspecialty in pain medicine;
        (VI) occupational medicine; or
        (VII) physical medicine and rehabilitation.
      (ii) Qualifying AOABOS certifications are:
        (I) neurological surgery;
        (II) neurology;
        (III) orthopedic surgery;
        (IV) plastic surgery;
        (V) preventive medicine/occupational-environmental medicine;
        (VI) preventive medicine/occupational;
        (VII) anesthesiology with certificate of added qualifications in pain management; or
        (VIII) physical medicine and rehabilitation.
    (F) To examine any joint dislocation, one or more fractures with vascular injury, one or more pelvis fractures, or multiple rib fractures, a designated doctor must be board-certified by the ABMS or AOABOS.
      (i) Qualifying ABMS certifications are:
        (I) emergency medicine;
        (II) orthopaedic surgery;
        (III) plastic surgery;
Cont'd...