About Center of Excellence (COE)

OM Center of Excellence (COE) Designation

Establishing the National Standard for Excellence in Workers’ Compensation Care

The OM Center of Excellence (COE) Designation was established to define the national standard for excellence in the care of injured workers.

Developed in collaboration with employers, carriers, and clinical experts, the COE Designation recognizes medical practices that demonstrate exceptional quality, compliance, communication, and outcomes within the workers’ compensation system.

The COE Designation represents a measurable commitment to the principles that drive successful outcomes in workers’ compensation: timely access to care, accurate documentation, strong communication, conservative treatment when appropriate, and safe return-to-work results.

The OM Center of Excellence was established to:

Set nationally recognized benchmarks for the quality, consistency, and integrity of care delivered to injured workers.
Ensure timely, patient-centered care, emphasizing early evaluation, accurate diagnosis, and coordinated treatment that supports recovery and return to function.
Recognize practices that consistently meet high administrative standards, including complete, accurate, and timely reporting of all required documentation.
Promote accountability and transparency through reliable communication among physicians, employers, adjusters, and nurse case managers.
Encourage adherence to workers’ compensation regulations and ethical standards, including fee schedule compliance, accurate impairment rating, and proper documentation of Maximum Medical Improvement (MMI).
Highlight operational excellence, including practices with trained and knowledgeable workers’ compensation teams, organized systems for authorizations, and efficient case coordination.
Reinforce the importance of measurable outcomes, focusing on clinical effectiveness, reduced recovery times, and safe return-to-work transitions.

The OM COE Designation is the nation’s benchmark for best practices in the care of injured workers within the workers’ compensation system. It represents excellence not only in clinical care but in every operational and administrative component that supports the recovery of injured workers and the trust of employers and carriers who want the best care for their employees.

To be eligible for consideration, practices must demonstrate a clear and measurable commitment to excellence in the care of injured workers under the workers’ compensation system. Each applicant must meet the following foundational criteria:

Provide comprehensive and coordinated medical care for injured workers, emphasizing early evaluation, accurate diagnosis, and a focus on functional recovery.
Maintain a defined workers’ compensation program or dedicated coordination process within the practice to ensure consistent handling of authorizations, communication, and case documentation.
Demonstrate timely, complete, and accurate documentation, including treatment updates, progress reports, and return-to-work recommendations that support all parties involved in the case.
Ensure open and consistent communication with employers, carriers, nurse case managers, and adjusters to keep cases moving efficiently and reduce unnecessary delays.
Adhere to all applicable state and national workers’ compensation laws, regulations, and reporting requirements, maintaining full compliance at every stage of care.
Uphold ethical and transparent billing and compliance practices, including adherence to fee schedules and proper documentation of impairment ratings and Maximum Medical Improvement (MMI).
Maintain a professional, organized, and patient-accessible clinical environment that supports safety, trust, and quality care for injured workers.
Ensure that patient care and recovery remain the highest priority, with treatment decisions guided by medical need and best clinical practice.
Employ qualified medical professionals and support staff with valid licensure, current credentials, and continuing education focused on workers’ compensation best practices.

The OM Center of Excellence (COE) Designation application is designed to evaluate a practice’s commitment to excellence in the care and management of injured workers across six key domains: Administrative Performance, Communication & Coordination, Clinical Quality, Compliance & Ethical Practice, Operational Standards, and Outcome-Based Performance.

Before beginning, please review the following instructions carefully.

Each applicant is evaluated across six core domains that reflect the standards outlined in the COE Application:

Timely, accurate, and compliant documentation and reporting.
Defined internal processes for managing workers’ compensation cases.
Reliable tracking systems for authorizations, scheduling, and case progress.

Clean, safe, and professional clinical and administrative settings.
Accessible scheduling and accommodations for injured workers.
Availability or coordination of ancillary services (diagnostics, therapy, DME, dispensing, and other in-office or referred services).
Clear policies to ensure all ancillary and in-office services are clinically appropriate, properly authorized, and compliant with workers’ compensation regulations.

Demonstrated improvement in measurable performance indicators, including:

Average time from injury to initial evaluation.
Average time from visit to report completion.
Return-to-work success rates and achievement of MMI.
Compliance with required documentation and communication timelines.
Submission of at least five (5) de-identified case studies demonstrating recovery outcomes, return-to-work success, and restoration of pre-injury function.

Application & Review Process

Practices must submit a completed application through the OM website with all required documentation.
Email submissions are not accepted.

The Independent COE Oversight Committee ensures the integrity, consistency, and objectivity of the evaluation process. The committee is composed of recognized leaders from the clinical, employer, and administrative sectors of workers’ compensation. All decisions are made in accordance with established COE criteria and documented evaluation standards.

Practices that achieve the OM Center of Excellence (COE) Designation will receive:

Authorization to display the official OM COE Seal and Designation on their website, professional materials, and communications.
A formal acknowledgment as a recognized national Center of Excellence in quality, compliance, and patient-centered care for injured workers.
The option to be included in the OM National Directory of WorkCompReady™ and COE-Designated Providers through a separate paid listing.

Important Note: The OM Center of Excellence (COE) Designation is a national professional designation of excellence that operates independently from OM’s marketing programs. Practices do not need to be OM clients to apply for or earn the COE Designation. The WorkCompReady™ Certification is a separate, exclusive training and certification program available only to physicians who are part of the OM Panel. This program is not open to the public. For information regarding the WorkCompReady™ Certification, please contact info@ommktg.com.

Disclaimer

Final designation decisions are made exclusively by the Independent COE Oversight Committee. All determinations are based on verified data, measurable outcomes, and compliance with established COE standards. All information submitted is confidential and used solely for evaluation purposes.