The board shall exercise general supervision in all matters related to the provision of medical services provided by physicians, as defined in Section 25-5-310, rendered to workers under this article. The duties of the board shall include, but are not limited to, the following:

(1) Study, develop, and implement any necessary and reasonable guidelines for medical services and physician care provided by physicians. In addition, with respect to services provided by physicians, the board shall study, develop, and recommend to the secretary uniform medical criteria and policies for the conduct of utilization review, bill screenings, and medical necessity determinations for use by insurance carriers, self-insurers, and claims administrators.

(2) Study, design, and implement standardized uniform claims processing forms and forms for the reporting of medical information to employers and insurance companies by physicians.

(3) Address and give consideration to those matters referred to it by the secretary.

(4) The board shall contract with physicians, health care providers, professional associations of physicians, and health-related organizations to provide the board with consultation, and research and development expertise in discharging its duties and responsibilities under this article. Any contract entered into by the board shall be approved by the secretary and submitted as are other state contracts.

(5) The board may establish, by regulations promulgated by the department, regional committees of physicians appointed by the board to perform any duties and responsibilities specified by the board in programs established for the delivery of medical services under this article. In addition the board shall appoint board certified physicians in any of the medical or surgical specialties to act as independent expert medical consultants to the ombudsman in connection with the resolution of disputes involving physicians providing medical services to injured workers. Members of the regional committees shall be physicians and shall serve at the pleasure of the board. Physicians serving as members of the regional committees as constituted under this section or independent expert medical consultants to the ombudsman shall be granted the same immunities as provided members of the board under this article and existing state law.

(6) Implementation of this section shall be governed by and subject to the Alabama Administrative Procedure Act. Rules and regulations relating to the duties and authority of the board, enumerated herein, may be promulgated only with the consent of both the secretary and the board.