The time you spend recovering from a serious workplace injury can be a sensitive period for you. You will likely deal with deeply personal issues as you try to recover your health. If you do get hurt, you would probably want somebody you trust, like your personal doctor, to handle your treatment and care.
Under California workers’ compensation law, injured workers must pick a treating doctor from the medical provider network of their employer. However, state law does make an exception. If you predesignate your personal doctor to treat you, you may have your personal physician treat you in the event of a workplace injury.
What is predesignation?
According to the California Department of Industrial Relations, workers may approach their employer ahead of time to say that they want their own personal doctor to treat them if they sustain an injury at work or contract an illness due to workplace activities. Workers must submit this request in writing. You may select a personal doctor of medicine, or you can also name a D.O., or a doctor of osteopathy.
How do I predesignate a doctor?
In addition to requesting a predesignation in writing, you and your employer must meet certain conditions for the predesignation to be valid. Your employer should provide group health coverage. Also, your doctor should have treated you for previous conditions and have your medical records. You must also secure an agreement from your doctor to treat you for workplace injuries or illnesses.
Finally, your written request to your employer should contain a notice that you want your personal doctor to treat you for workplace illnesses or injuries. The notice should contain the name and business address of your personal doctor. Submitting this request should not be hard since the California Department of Industrial Relations offers predesignation forms for workers to use.
