DOT Physicals

On-Site Equipment and Certified Providers Perform DOT and non-DOT Physicals, Drug Screens, Alcohol Screen, Vision Test, Urine Test, Hearing Test, Travel and Occupation Immunizations, Work-Place Injury or Accident Testing, Risk Management and More.

General Guidelines for DOT Physicals at WiseCare

The importance of doing a DOT physical is to ensure safety for the driving public by screening for certain medical conditions which may increase the probability that the CMV holder will get into an accident or drive dangerously, putting others at risk.

The examiner is looking for certain conditions in order to keep unsafe CMV drivers off the road. These conditions include:

  • Being hard of hearing or deafness

  • Vision abnormalities including color blindness, abnormal depth perception, poor peripheral vision, and poor eyesight.

  • Active chest pain, shortness of breath or cardiac stents

  • Obstructive sleep apnea, which can lead to excessive daytime sleepiness.

  • Narcotic dependence, substance abuse, alcohol dependence.

  • Partial or complete loss of function of a limb

  • Certain psychiatric conditions

In addition, certain medical conditions may predispose the CMV driver to have an acute event such as stroke, heart attack, syncope or dizzy spells and maybe disqualifying:

  • Pacemaker or defibrillator

  • Elevated blood pressure

  • Poorly controlled diabetes

  • Being on certain blood thinners

  • Being on insulin, or certain oral diabetes medications

Our main goal is to ensure that anyone who operates a CMV presenting to WiseCare for a DOT physical will meet the stringent guidelines as set forth by the FMCSA.

It is possible to become certified using a federal waiver. Please refer to the federal waiver program website for more information on this:

https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/medical/driver-medical-requirements/driver-exemption-programs

Medical Conditions affecting certification – what medical conditions does the DOT physical evaluate?

Hypertension

From fmcsa.dot.gov

A driver with a diagnosis of hypertension on treatment should have at least an annual certification.

A CMV driver with a Blood pressure (BP) 140/90 may be certified for 2 years.

First time BP elevated:

  • Stage 1 – BP 140-159/90-99 Certification Period 1 year

  • Stage 2 – BP 160-179/100-109 Certification Period 3 months as a one-time certification. Within the 3 months, if the blood pressure is below 140/90, the driver may receive 1-year certification.

  • Stage 3 – BP Reading >180/110 Disqualified. When the blood pressure is less than 140/90, the driver can be certified at 6-month intervals.

Urine Testing

A urine dipstick tests for glucose, blood, protein and specific gravity. Elevations in any of these parameters will prompt WiseCare’s medical examiner to look for uncontrolled hypertension or poorly controlled diabetes. In many instances, a referral is made to the CMV holder’s primary care physician or an appropriate specialist before certifying the driver.

Hearing Testing

Obviously, it is important for CMV drivers to have an adequate hearing. The DOT physical tests for hearing across all important frequencies commonly heard while driving on the road. WiseCare uses a simple audiometer which generates a detailed report on the parameters required for DOT certification. We feel the audiometer is the most stringent hearing test used, thus the whisper test is not done at WiseCare Urgent Care.

Vision Testing

We want to make sure that our CMV drivers meet the basic vision requirements before allowing them to drive on the road. We have state-of-the-art vision testing equipment at both of our locations which measure: visual acuity, the presence or absence of monocular vision, color blindness, depth perception.

Don’t worry. If you are concerned that your medical condition may disqualify you, although we always adhere to the FMCSA guidelines, we will always look at all the information you present to us including any federal waivers or outside consultant reports explaining potentially abnormal results.

Why Choose WiseCare?

Please call ahead today to make an appointment. We take same-day appointments and will work with all employers in the area.