For over 50 years, the AMA Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment have been the trusted source that physicians, patients, insurers and regulators rely on for fair, equitable and consistent impairment rating guidance. More than 40 states and several countries rely on the AMA Guides® as the accepted authority to assess and rate permanent loss of function.
Importance of impairment rating reports
The AMA Guides provide a reliable, repeatable measurement framework for permanent impairment in patients who have suffered an injury or illness resulting in long-term loss of a body part or reduction of body function. Once a patient has reached Maximum Medical Improvement, physicians use the AMA Guides to assess a patient’s impairment and document findings. A properly completed impairment rating report produced using the appropriate AMA Guides content is the gold standard for documenting permanent impairment to support insurance and legal proceedings.
Impairment ratings and impairment rating reports produced using the AMA Guides are used extensively in the United States and abroad as a critical input to determining fair compensation for individuals with work related injuries. Importantly, determination of appropriate compensation is the realm of state governments, not physicians. As such, the impairment rating provided by a physician is often only one input into a complex disability and compensation calculation.
Advancing the AMA Guides through evidence
Current, evidence- and consensus-based medical science is important to supporting fair and consistent impairment evaluations. The various editions of the AMA Guides, published as hardcover reference books, represented the medical knowledge and clinical consensus available at a particular point in time. As medical science advances, however, understanding of diseases, injuries and patient outcomes can change, including improvements in long-term outcomes for some conditions.
The AMA established the AMA Guides Editorial Panel to provide a transparent, multidisciplinary process for considering and evaluating potential improvements, enhancements and revisions to the AMA Guides. The Panel brought together a broad spectrum of relevant professionals to review developments in medical science and consider areas where additional guidance could be beneficial.
During its tenure, the AMA Guides Editorial Panel periodically identified editorial priorities to inform the broader stakeholder community about areas of focus. Relevant stakeholders were invited to contribute proposals and perspectives regarding potential enhancements to the AMA Guides based on advances in medical science.
Commitment to transparency
The AMA recognizes that the use of the AMA Guides across jurisdictions involves considerations that extend beyond the development of medical guidance. Adoption and implementation of impairment evaluation standards may vary by jurisdiction and can be influenced by regulatory, legal, administrative and other considerations.
Over time, the AMA has engaged with a broad range of stakeholders to better understand these considerations and the experiences of jurisdictions implementing the AMA Guides. These stakeholders have included representatives from regulatory and legal communities, as well as other organizations and international stakeholders.
During the Panel's tenure, stakeholders had opportunities to provide advisory commentary through public comment periods on proposed changes to the AMA Guides. Proposed changes were considered through the Panel's established review and approval processes, with approved content incorporated into the AMA Guides according to the applicable publication and release processes.
The AMA remains committed to transparency and providing stakeholders with information about the development and evolution of the AMA Guides.
As a leader in advancing the future of digital medicine, the AMA is committed to utilizing technology to advance fair and equitable impairment ratings and to reduce physician burden.
AMA Guides digital subscription
"All Access Bundle" includes all editions of AMA Guides and access to the complete newsletter article archive dating back to the inaugural September/October 1996 issue.
The AMA Guides are exclusively available on AMA Guides Digital, a digital platform that leverages advancements in technology to allow for easy and secure access to the AMA Guides content.
Download & share AMA Guides information
Download these AMA Guides handouts to share with constituents:
- Medicine key to accurate permanent impairment ratings (PDF)
- What to expect from AMA Guides updates (PDF)
- Why AMA Guides is moving to digital: FAQs for distributors & customers (PDF).
Contact us
If your organization would like to engage in a discussion with the AMA, please contact us at [email protected]
