Health practice and management
Health-care providers and health-care services play an important part in the return to work (RTW) of injured workers and in disability management processes at workers’ compensation boards in Canada. IWH research supports front-line health-care practitioners—including primary care physicians and allied health-care professionals, who support or treat workers with injuries and illnesses that affect their ability to work.
Featured
At Work article
How employers are improving RTW outcomes for public safety workers with PSTI
Public safety employers face a range of challenges when supporting workers to return to work after experiencing a post-traumatic stress injury. Employers have developed strategies to face these challenges, as outlined in a recent IWH Speaker Series presentation.
Published: March 12, 2025
At Work article
Employers face challenges in supporting public safety personnel with post-traumatic stress injuries
In Ontario, a pilot program has been developed to help treat public safety workers with post-traumatic stress injuries. To identify any needed changes to the program, IWH researchers asked employers about their experiences helping these workers return to work after a mental health injury.
Published: January 15, 2025
Journal article
Journal article
Perceived role and expectations of health care providers in return to work
Published: Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation, March 2019
Journal article
Journal article
What are physicians told about their role in return to work and workers' compensation systems? An analysis of Canadian resources
Published: Policy and Practice in Health and Safety, October 2018
Journal article
Journal article
The role of healthcare providers in return to work
Published: International Journal of Disability Management, August 2018
Journal article
Journal article
Prescription dispensing patterns before and after a workers' compensation claim: an historical cohort study of workers with low back pain injuries in British Columbia
Published: Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, July 2018
IWH in the media
Opioids linked to longer disability leaves
A Canadian review of five studies have found a link between opioid prescriptions and longer duration of time on disability, writes Sarah Dobson, who interviews Dr. Nancy Carnide and Dr. Andrea Furlan, among others, about implications of this IWH study.
Published: Canadian HR Reporter, June 2018
At Work article
Studies consistent in finding a link between opioids for MSDs and longer work disability
A systematic review on early opioid prescription for MSDs and work disability finds a consistent link with longer work disability. However, review authors urge caution in drawing a conclusion about cause and effect.
Published: February 2018
Journal article
Journal article
Early prescription opioid use for musculoskeletal disorders and work outcomes: a systematic review of the literature
Published: Clinical Journal of Pain, July 2017
IWH in the media
Getting back on one's feet
Healthcare providers who treat injured workers with multiple injuries and complex illnesses find the workers’ compensation system and return-to-work (RTW) process “opaque and confusing.” That's one of the findings from a two-year, multijurisdictional study by the Institute of Work & Health (IWH).
Published: OHS Canada, February 2017
IWH Speaker Series
IWH Speaker Series
Health-care providers and their role in return to work
Research around the world has shown that health-care providers have a key role in the return-to-work (RTW) process. However, pressure on consultation time, administrative challenges and limited knowledge about a patient’s workplace can thwart meaningful engagement. In a two-year study conducted in four Canadian provinces, Dr. Agnieszka Kosny focused on the experiences of health-care providers within the workers’ compensation system and their role in the RTW process. She shares her findings in this plenary.
Published: February 2017
At Work article
Health professionals report uncertainty over roles in RTW of workers with complex injuries
Case managers and health-care professionals share their thoughts about doctors' role in the workers' compensation system.
Published: February 2017