Okla. Stat. tit. 85A, § 85A-17

A. There is hereby created a Physician Advisory Committee

comprised of nine (9) members to be appointed as follows:

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1. The Governor shall appoint three members, one of whom shall

be licensed in this state as a doctor of medicine and surgery, one

of whom shall be engaged in the practice of family medicine in a

rural community of the state, and one of whom shall be an

osteopathic physician;

2. The President Pro Tempore of the Senate shall appoint three

members, one of whom shall be licensed in this state as a doctor of

medicine and orthopedic surgery, one of whom shall be licensed in

this state either as a doctor of medicine or a doctor of osteopathy

and a neurosurgeon, and one of whom shall be licensed in this state

as a podiatric physician; and

3. The Speaker of the House of Representatives shall appoint

three members, one of whom shall be licensed in this state as an

osteopathic physician, one of whom shall be licensed in this state

either as a doctor of medicine or a doctor of osteopathy and shall

be engaged in the practice of occupational medicine, and one of whom

shall be licensed in this state as a chiropractic physician.

Any member serving on the effective date of this section shall

serve the remainder of his or her term. Thereafter, each position

will be filled by the appointing official for a term of three (3)

years. Members shall be subject to reappointment, with any new

appointee to serve out the remainder of the unexpired term of the

Committee member so replaced.

B. The Committee shall:

1. Assist and advise the Workers’ Compensation Commission

regarding utilization review as it relates to the medical practice

and treatment of work-related injuries. Such utilization review

shall include a review of reasonable and necessary medical

treatment; abusive practices; needless treatments, testing, or

procedures; or a pattern of billing in excess of or in violation of

the Schedule of Medical Fees. The Physician Advisory Committee

shall review and make findings and recommendations to the Commission

with respect to charges of inappropriate or unnecessary treatment or

procedures, abusive practices, or excessive billing disclosed

through utilization review;

2. Assist the Commission in reviewing medical practices of

health care providers, including evaluations of permanent disability

provided by health care providers. The Committee shall review and

make findings and recommendations to the Commission with respect to

charges of abusive practices by health care providers providing

medical services or evaluations of permanent partial disability

through the workers’ compensation system;

3. After public hearing, review and make recommendations for

acceptable deviations from the American Medical Association’s

“Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment”;

4. After public hearing, adopt Physician Advisory Committee

Guidelines (PACG) and protocols for only medical treatment not

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addressed by the latest edition of the Official Disability

Guidelines;

5. After public hearing, adopt Physician Advisory Committee

Guidelines for the prescription and dispensing of any controlled

substance included in Schedule II of the Uniform Controlled

Dangerous Substances Act if not addressed by the current edition of

the Official Disability Guidelines;

6. Review utilization on cases or of providers when requested

by any employer, injured employee or insurer. The Committee may

issue a public or private censure to any provider for utilization

which is excessive or inadequate, or recommend the Commission order

treatment within the treatment guidelines;

7. Provide general recommendations to the Commission on the

issues of injury causation and apportionment;

8. Conduct educational seminars for the Commission, employers,

employees, and other interested parties;
ee may

issue a public or private censure to any provider for utilization

which is excessive or inadequate, or recommend the Commission order

treatment within the treatment guidelines;

7. Provide general recommendations to the Commission on the

issues of injury causation and apportionment;

8. Conduct educational seminars for the Commission, employers,

employees, and other interested parties;

9. Assist the Commission in accessing medical information from

scientific literature; and

10. Report its progress annually to the Governor, the President

Pro Tempore of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of

Representatives.

C. The Commission shall recognize the latest edition of the

Official Disability Guidelines as the primary standard of reference,

at the time of treatment, in determining the frequency and extent of

services presumed to be medically necessary and appropriate for

compensable injuries under this act, or in resolving such matters in

the event a dispute arises.

D. Members of the Physician Advisory Committee shall receive no

compensation for serving on the Committee but shall be reimbursed by

the Commission for their necessary travel expenses incurred in the

performance of their duties in accordance with the State Travel

Reimbursement Act.

E. Meetings of the Physician Advisory Committee shall be called

by the Commission but held at least quarterly. The presence of a

majority of the members shall constitute a quorum. No action shall

be taken by the Physician Advisory Committee without the affirmative

vote of at least a majority of the members.

F. The Commission shall provide office supplies and personnel

of the Commission to assist the Committee in the performance of its

duties.

G. Upon written request, the Insurance Commissioner, CompSource

Mutual Insurance Company, and every approved self-insured employer

in Oklahoma shall provide the Committee with data necessary to the

performance of its duties.

H. Any health care provider acting in good faith and within the

scope of the provider’s duties as a member of the Physician Advisory

Committee shall be immune from civil liability for making any report

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or other information available to the judges of the Commission or to

the Commission or for assisting in the origination, investigation,

or preparation of the report or other information so provided.