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
Challenges with, and potential solutions for, mediation analyses
Published: Occupational and Environmental Medicine, November 2026
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. Her career focused on the measurement of upper extremity musculoskeletal disorders (MDSs)—notably, the widely used DASH Outcome Measure—and the adoption of common outcomes in rheumatology treatment and research.
Published: August 2026
Journal article
Journal article
Towards the development of a definition of independence for individuals diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis in remission: an 'OMERACT remission in rheumatoid arthritis patient perspective' special interest group report
Published: Seminars in Arthritis and Rheumatism, April 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 treatment program tailored to these workers. A multi-part evaluation of the program, conducted in part by IWH, has found that participants did not show improvements in return-to-work rates. However, most participants stuck with the program for the full duration, and a quarter saw symptom improvements.
Published: March 2026
Journal article
Journal article
Project ECHO Occupational and Environmental Medicine: a qualitative study of healthcare providers supporting workers with work-related injuries and illnesses
Published: Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation, January 2026
Journal article
Journal article
Ten years of ECHO chronic pain and opioid stewardship in Ontario: impact and future directions
Published: Healthcare, December 2025
Journal article
Journal article
Systematic reviews of patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs): table templates for effective communication
Published: Quality of Life Research, September 2025
Research Highlights
Telementoring program addresses return-to-work challenges for Ontario health-care providers
An IWH study has found that Ontario health-care providers face a range of challenges when treating workers with a work-related injury or illness and helping them return to work—from communication issues with compensation boards to the complexities of working with multiple parties. The researchers also found that a telementoring program called ECHO Occupational Environmental Medicine helped providers overcome some of these challenges.
Published: July 2025
Journal article
Journal article
Standardizing health outcomes for people with rheumatoid arthritis receiving disease modifying drug therapy: a rapid review of patient-decision aids and preference studies to inform the development of OMERACT Health Outcome Descriptors
Published: Seminars in Arthritis and Rheumatism, June 2025
At Work article
How employers are improving RTW outcomes for public safety workers with PSTI
Work-related post-traumatic stress injuries (PTSI) are complex and highly prevalent among public safety workers such as those in police and fire services. Faced with the challenges of supporting employees who have experienced such an injury, public safety employers have developed strategies to improve return to work (RTW) after PTSI. These strategies were highlighted in a recent IWH Speaker Series presentation.
Published: March 2025