Disability Doc

Medical Source Evidence 

Medically determinable impairment

After reviewing your medical records, your disability case worker must decide if the records show you have a “severe” medical condition that limits your ability to function and work. Your medical records must show that an illness, injury, or condition is present that could cause your reported symptoms and limitations. This condition must be diagnosed by an “acceptable medical source.” When your condition is shown this way, it is considered by Social Security to be a “medically determinable impairment.”

Simply having a symptom or sensation, such as pain or fatigue, does not necessarily mean you have a “medically determinable impairment.” The symptom must be caused by a physical or mental condition, which is proven by objective physical findings and tests. Social Security will rely on the judgment of your physician who made the diagnosis only if your medical records support this diagnosis with documented physical exams and tests.

Your disability caseworker must get evidence from several sources, but most importantly, your medical sources.

Medical source evidence includes:

• Treatment notes from your doctors and other “acceptable medical sources”
• Records from any hospitalizations or emergency room visits, including mental health facilities
• Records from any physical therapists, chiropractors, or similar sources

“Acceptable medical sources" include:

• Licensed physicians (medical or osteopathic doctors)
• Licensed or certified psychologists
• Licensed optometrists (for measurement of visual acuity and visual fields)
• Licensed podiatrists (for purposes of establishing impairments of the foot, or foot and ankle only, depending on the state in which the podiatrist practices)
• Qualified speech-language pathologists (for purposes of establishing speech or language impairments only)

Other sources

Information from other sources can be used to support your claim. Other sources include public and private social welfare agencies; non-medical sources such as, social workers and employers; and other medical practitioners, such as physician assistants, nurse practitioners, naturopaths, chiropractors, and audiologists.