Choice and Change of Health Care Professional

The WCB recognizes the importance of a worker's choice of physician or qualified practitioner and the contribution that a relationship of trust makes to a successful treatment program. The WCB does, however, reserve the right to refuse the choice or change of practitioner by a worker if it views the selection as potentially detrimental to the worker's recovery.

Prescription Drug Use

The WCB is committed to encouraging responsible prescription drug use. The WCB will monitor drug prescriptions for work-related injuries to ensure that they are not prescribed in excessive amounts and do not have adverse effects on the worker's health and general well being.

Medical Apparatus

The WCB will provide medical apparatus (i.e., glasses, a hearing device, wheelchair, orthotic device, prosthetic device, etc.) to injured workers when:

• it is required because of a compensable injury; or
• medical apparatus that was damaged in an accident which arose out of and during the course of employment needs to be replaced.

The medical apparatus must be prescribed by the worker's treating physician or other qualified health care practitioner.

Alternative Treatment

Alternative forms of treatment may be considered in certain circumstances to enable an injured worker to regain the condition which existed prior to the work-related injury or to give relief from any continuing effects of injury. Alternative treatments include acupuncture, chiropractic treatment, massage therapy, physiotherapy and podiatric treatment delivered by qualified personnel.