The WCB is governed by The Workers Compensation Act (the Act) and Regulations. Healthcare professionals, hospitals and healthcare facilities are required to fulfil their duties under Section 20 of the Act, as stated below.
Duty of those providing healthcare to an injured worker
Every service provider attending or consulting on an injury to a worker resulting from an injury shall:
- Provide reports in respect of the injury in the form required by the board
- Give reasonable and necessary information, advice and assistance to the injured worker and the dependents of the worker submitting a claim, including any certificates and reports that may be required by the board, without charge to the worker or the dependents of the worker.
This means that when treating an injured worker, healthcare service providers need to assist the worker by providing the appropriate information to the WCB at no additional cost to them or their family members. The WCB will pay for your services, based on our agreements with various health professions.
You can find a complete copy of The Workers Compensation Act on our Policy & Legislation page.
Patient Confidentiality and Reporting
Healthcare providers and healthcare facilities are required to provide certain information to the WCB, as noted above in Section 20 of the Act.
The WCB treats all patient information as private and confidential. We only disclose information as needed or authorized by legislative requirements. We are bound by both The Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA) and The Personal Health Information Act (PHIA) with respect to the collection, use and disclosure of information.