AMA updates impairment guidelines with mental disorders

The American Medical Association on Friday announced it has approved updates to its permanent impairment evaluation guidelines to include content related to mental disorders.

This is the first update since 2008 when the AMA Guides Sixth Edition was originally published, according to a statement. The guide is often used in many states when calculating workers compensation impairment ratings for injured workers facing permanent disability.

The new 2021 content was proposed by the American Psychiatric Association and the American Psychological Association to align the AMA guidelines with terminology and methodology changes to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, which is considered the authoritative guide to the diagnosis of mental disorders, according to a statement.

The updates include new psychological tests and batteries, along with literature on motivation and malingering when it comes to injuries.