Health care programs: Find a provider

Our health care programs are community-based programs designed to provide early care for people with workplace illnesses or injuries. Programs of care are bundled services delivered by regulated health professionals and include assessment of the injury or illness, treatment to help promote recovery and restore function and regular communication with the WSIB. The programs of care address some of the most common workplace injuries including musculoskeletal injuries, mild traumatic brain injuries, noise-induced or traumatic hearing loss and other specific illnesses.

Musculoskeletal program of care

The musculoskeletal program of care is a community-based health care program designed to provide care to people with musculoskeletal injuries in the early stages of their recovery. Musculoskeletal injuries, such as a sprain, strain or fracture, are injuries to the bones, joints, and/or soft tissues of the body.

Health care providers with knowledge, skill and expertise in the assessment and treatment of musculoskeletal injuries deliver the musculoskeletal program of care.

In the program, your health care provider will provide you with education about your injury, pain and self-management strategies, activity modifications, exercise therapy, manual therapy and more.

To participate in this program, you must:

• have a pending or allowed WSIB claim
• be within eight weeks from your date of workplace injury
• have an injury to
  • a muscle, tendon or ligament
  • a bone, resulting in fracture(s) that did not require surgery
• be at work or off work
• have no additional injuries that prevent you from participating
• not have been hospitalized

For most injuries, you can start treatment right away. To confirm entitlement to health care benefits for your injury, speak with the Case Manager or Nurse Consultant assigned to your claim or call 1-800-387-0750.

Interdisciplinary team program of care

The interdisciplinary team program of care is a community-based health care program for people with musculoskeletal injuries who need specialized treatment services from a team of health care providers to help them recover and return to work.

The program is delivered by an interdisciplinary team made up of an occupational therapist and a physiotherapist/chiropractor with expertise in providing post-surgical treatment, specialized treatments and work hardening services – which include highly structured, goal-oriented and personalized treatment programs that include real or simulated work activities designed to help you return to work. You may participate in an individualized exercise program delivered in a rehabilitation facility with dedicated exercise equipment and be supervised by a regulated health professional.

You will need approval from your Case Manager or Nurse Consultant to participate in this program.

Only the health care providers and clinics listed in the program’s directory can deliver this program of care.

Mild traumatic brain injury program of care

The mild traumatic brain injury program of care is a community-based health care program designed for people with non-complex brain injuries/concussions to receive early care and help them recover faster. 

If you have a mild traumatic brain injury, you can enter the program up to three months after the date of injury. This program is delivered by regulated health professionals who are experienced in providing treatment for mild traumatic brain injuries and may work independently or as part of an interdisciplinary team.

Treatment includes education, gradual integration of activity, progressive exercise therapy, manual therapy and vestibular rehabilitation, where required.

To participate in this program, you must:

• have an allowed WSIB claim
• have been diagnosed with a mild traumatic brain injury by a physician or nurse practitioner

Hearing services program

The hearing services program provides hearing aids and related services to people with noise-induced or traumatic hearing loss. Hearing health care providers (audiologist or hearing instrument specialist) provide hearing assessments, dispensing and fitting of a hearing aid(s), and follow-up visits to reduce the impact of hearing loss.  

To participate in this program, you must:

• have an allowed WSIB claim for noise-induced or traumatic hearing loss, and
• require a new hearing aid(s)
• have no additional injuries that prevent you from participating  

Community mental health program

People who have experienced a psychological reaction secondary to a work-related physical injury or have experienced a significant work-related psychological response to a workplace incident or cumulative incidents can access psychological assessment and treatment services through our community mental health program. The program is delivered by community-based psychologists registered in our community mental health network.

You will need approval from your Case Manager or Nurse Consultant to participate in this program.

Changing health care providers

Once you have started treatment with a health care provider or clinic, you may not change to another provider or clinic without our approval. Please call your Case Manager or Nurse Consultant to discuss your request to change to a new health care provider or clinic.

Occupational health hub and specialized recovery services

Occupational health hub

The occupational health hub provides assessment and consultation services to support your recovery and return to work. It provides virtual physician assessment services with a focus on occupational rehabilitation for people with musculoskeletal and mild traumatic brain injuries. It also includes assessments with a specific focus such as expedited assessment for migrant workers, non-economic loss assessment and complex medication assessment, in addition to case consult services.

These services are delivered through a provincial network of public hospitals and partnerships.

Specialized recovery services

Specialized recovery services provide you with timely access to a range of physician types. These programs specialize in recovery and achieving a healthy and safe return to work through assessments and interdisciplinary treatment for more complex injuries and illnesses.

Feedback or concerns

We want you to have a positive experience when you are referred to the occupational health hub or a specialized recovery service.

If you have any feedback or are dissatisfied with services you have received at one of the clinics, please speak with the clinicians directly as a first step or ask to speak with the clinic manager.

If you don’t feel satisfied or are uncomfortable discussing the issue directly with the clinic, please call the hospital’s patient relations office for help. They will respond to your concerns and notify the clinic.

The clinic will inform us of your concern, the outcome of the review and any action going forward to prevent the issue from recurring. If further discussions or activities are needed, we will discuss them with you and the clinic.