Information and Services for Health Care Professionals

The WAO provides workers, their dependants and other stakeholders with independent advice, assistance, representation, training and mentoring with respect to workers' compensation issues.

6 Things a Health Care Professional Can Do to Help a Patient Who Sustains a Workplace Injury

1. Record in their chart notes a clear, legible, accurate and complete description of the worker’s injuries and symptoms for each clinical visit. Remember: when symptoms or conditions are not mentioned in reports, they will often be assumed to have resolved.
2. File an updated report with complete clinical information (including symptoms and any needs for diagnostic assessment, treatment and medication) to WorkSafeBC for every clinical visit while in recovery.
3. If they become concerned about decisions WorkSafeBC is making about a patient’s claim, they should say so in their report and indicate that they wish to speak to the WorkSafeBC Medical Adviser
4. Schedule regular follow up appointments with the patient so they can report on their patient’s progress and any needs they may have for further for diagnostic assessment, treatment and medication.
5. If WorkSafeBC refuses the patient some form of diagnostic assessment, treatment or medication (e.g. referrals for medical imaging, physiotherapy etc.) that decision may be appealed, but it takes time and the outcome is never certain. In the meantime, the Health Care Professional can still proceed to complete the referral through the Medical Services Plan system or the patient’s private health insurance carrier.
6. If the patient suffers a significant deterioration or recurrence of a previously accepted work injury (physical and/or psychological), the change should be promptly reported to WorkSafeBC so that they can make new decisions on the patient's entitlement to health care and other benefits.