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
Impact case study
Dorcas Beaton: How a passion for MSD outcome measures made a difference in the world of work and beyond
Sometimes, an IWH scientist’s work impacts go beyond the work and health field. That is the case for Dr. Dorcas Beaton, retired IWH senior scientist whose expertise developed through work and health research spread to the broader field of clinical health outcomes.
Published: August 7, 2026
At Work article
PTSI treatment program delivers benefits for first responders, but no change in return-to-work rates
First responders face high rates of post-traumatic stress injuries (PTSI) due to the nature of their jobs. In response, the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board commissioned an intensive, 14-week program treatment program tailored to these workers, which has undergone a multi-part evaluation.
Published: March 9, 2026
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
IWH in the media
Doctors frustrated workers’ compensation boards seem to ignore medical opinions, report says
The Toronto Star interviews Dr. Agnieszka Kosny about the findings of her study on the role of health-care providers in workers' compensation and return-to-work.
Published: The Toronto Star, January 2017
Project report
Project report
Role of health-care providers in the workers' compensation system and the return-to-work process: executive summary
Health-care providers play an important role in the return to work of injured workers, yet research suggests they sometimes struggle with this responsibility. This executive summary provides an overview of the findings of a study on health-care providers' experiences in return to work and in working with workers' compensation systems.
Published: December 2016