Program overview
Either party may request a designated doctor when there is a dispute about MMI, impairment rating, or extent of injury. The DD certifies the MMI date and impairment rating on the Report of Medical Evaluation; the rating is invalid without a valid MMI date.
2023 rule updates
Rule changes effective June 5 2023 revised DD requirements and forms; TDI publishes the DD overview notes and Quick Reference Guide for Designated Doctors.
Telemedicine
From June 1 2025, a treating doctor may certify MMI by telemedicine only for minor injuries with no additional treatment and no impairment; an examination to assign an impairment rating is excluded (28 TAC 133.30).
Texas runs a Designated Doctor programme and rates on edition set by agency (28 TAC 130.1). The rating standard is set by the jurisdiction, not by the examiner, so the same clinical findings can produce different numbers across the 10 states profiled here.
Key facts
| Program | Designated Doctor |
| Agency | Texas Department of Insurance, Division of Workers' Compensation |
| Statute / rules | 28 TAC 126.7; 28 TAC 130.1–130.2 |
| AMA Guides edition | Edition adopted by the commissioner (verify per rule) |
| Edition basis | 28 TAC 130.1 |
| MMI rules | MMI date and impairment rating must be certified on the Report of Medical Evaluation to be valid |
| Key forms | DWC-32 (Request for Designated Doctor); Report of Medical Evaluation |
| Fee schedule | Designated doctor fee schedule per TDI rules (verify current) |
| Telehealth | MMI certification by telemedicine allowed for minor injuries with no impairment (28 TAC 133.30, from June 1 2025); impairment-rating exams remain in person |
