Health care measuring range of motion of an injured employee's arm

What is a designated doctor?

A designated doctor (DD) is a doctor or health care provider selected and trained by DWC to resolve questions about an injured employee's medical condition; or a dispute about a work-related injury or illness.
The injured employee, the employee's representative, or insurance carrier, or DWC can request a DD exam. DWC decides if a DD should be appointed to conduct the exam. View video.

Designated doctor program

Become a designated doctor or renew certification

You must take the required training, pass the required test (on 5/13/13 or after) and apply. Renewal requires attending required training and reapplying every two years.

Designated doctors must subscribe to, own or have access to the following required guidelines:

MDGuidelines (MDG) or call 800-442-4519.

Official Disability Guidelines (ODG) or call 800-488-5548.
AMA Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment, 4th Edition.
- Online AMA Guides (4th – 6th included, use 4th edition only).
- Printed AMA Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment 4th Edition is not sold by the AMA Guides, you may find other options to purchase online.

Steps to success - a great must read for new DDs!

Training

Registration for training Designated doctor events & training calendar.

Training materials:

Required certification course presentations.
Optional webinar presentations and workshops.
Self-study - extended 2015 certification course presentations.
Tips for viewing designated doctor presentations.
AMA guides (Promotion code: EVENTS50. Promo is good for $50 off a one-year subscription and is good through 12/31/25.)

Supplemental information packet - Includes DD Program contact information, disqualifying associations, DWC acronyms, and more.

Designated doctor conducting an exam

Testing

PSI Services administers designated doctor tests at locations across Texas. Contact PSI to schedule a test or call 855-746-8173.

Use the TXCOMP Health Care Provider System to find your expiration date.

PSI candidate bulletin - information from PSI on how to schedule and rules for the testing process.
Designated doctor sample test questions.
Designated doctor minimally acceptable candidate profile.

News and designated doctor program updates

Stay connected!

Amendments to 28 Texas Administrative Code (TAC) Chapter 127 and Section 180.23 involve changes in DD testing and certification, MMI/IR rules, and qualifications to examine traumatic brain injuries.
- 28 TAC Chapter 127 adoption order.
- 28 TAC §180.23 adoption order.
Memo about changes to the DD program. 6/5/23

Changes to the designated doctor program rules PowerPoint.

Changes in qualifications for traumatic brain injury exams

News archive

Meet the faculty

Designated doctor forms

DWC Form-032, Request for Designated Doctor Examination.
DWC Form-067, Designated Doctor Certification Application.
DWC Form-068, Designated Doctor Examination Data Report.
DWC Form-069, Report of Medical Evaluation.
DWC Form-073, Work Status Report.
DWC Form-120, Designation of Administrative Services Company Administrator.
Designated doctor narrative report and form requirements.

TXCOMP appointment features

Doctors and their administrators must use TXCOMP to:

accept and manage designated doctor appointments, and
file required reports online.

DD TXCOMP implementation memo

Slideshow TXCOMP appointment features for DDs and RMEs training

Tips to successfully upload your reports in TXCOMP:

Files format must be one of the following:
- Microsoft Word (.doc and .docx),
- Microsoft Excel (.xls and .xlsx),
- Read-Only Portable Document Format (.pdf), or
- Tagged Image Format (.tif and .tiff).

Files size must be less than 10MB.
File name must be less than 100 characters.
When uploading DWC Form-069 and the narrative both file names together must be less than 100 characters.

DWC Form-069 and narrative options *DWC069 Choose File button | No file chosen *Narrative Choose File button | No file chosen