R.I. Gen. Laws § 28-31-3
The medical treatment required to be rendered by an employer to an injured employee under the provisions of § 28-33-5, if the employer is the state, shall be rendered under the direction of a physician appointed for that purpose by the director of the department of administration. If the employer is a town or city, the medical treatment shall be rendered by a physician appointed for that purpose by the town council of the town or the city council of the city; provided, that in an emergency it shall be the duty of the division, department, officer, or other person having direct charge of an injured employee to see that treatment is promptly provided for the aid of that employee until the physician appointed as provided in this section has notice and can take charge of the case. Nothing contained in this section shall be construed to prohibit an employee from selecting the physician by whom, or the hospital in which, the employee desires to be treated as provided in § 28-33-8. All expenses incurred under this section, not exceeding the sum required by law to be expended therefor, shall in the case of the state be certified to the state controller by the department of administration, and in the case of a city or town to the treasurer thereof by the physician appointed as provided in this section, and those expenses shall be paid as is provided for other payments required to be made by the state, a city, or town under chapters 29 - 38 of this title.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 28-31-3