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Specialist requirements

We have specific guidelines for surgical and medical specialists. 

Specialist services generally fall into three categories:

  1. Trauma — performed in an emergency, immediately following an injury

  2. Consultation (including medical specialties and psychiatry) — expedited or non-expedited

  3. Surgery — expedited or non-expedited

Of the three, you need our approval only to perform surgery.

See guidelines on getting approval for surgery and for submitting reports and invoices (surgical and medical specialists):

To get approval for surgery, fax us a completed Authorization Request for Surgery Form 83D6. Our fax number is at the top of the form.

All surgical requests need to include the following information:

  • Specialist’s name
  • Date
  • Worker’s name and WorkSafeBC claim number
  • Proposed surgical details (type of surgery and location where it is to be performed)
  • Consult report

Depending on the type of treatment you provide to an injured worker, you will need to clearly indicate the following information in your report:

  • Type of report, e.g., consult report
  • Worker's name and WorkSafeBC claim number
  • Date of service/visit 

We recommend using our Physician Consult Report Fax Cover Sheet (Form 83D556) to submit your consult report.

All reports must be faxed to us at 604.233.9777 or toll-free at 1.888.8807.

We should receive your invoice within 90 days of the date you provide services to an injured worker.

Reports must be received by WorkSafeBC before we can process your invoices. Please pay special attention to the reporting and invoices codes. Using the correct codes will help us pay you sooner.

You can bill us electronically through Teleplan, using compatible software, or invoicing service bureau.

If you submit invoices by fax or mail, please be aware that MSP fee items will not receive the premium applied to items that are electronically invoiced. Please use Physician's Invoice (Form 11A) to complete your paper invoices. If you are invoicing as a provider outside of B.C., please use the Generic Invoice — Medical and Health care (Form 83D12) to complete your invoices.

Fees for services are outlined in the Physicians and Surgeons’ WorkSafeBC Services Agreement. Also see the Doctors of BC / WorkSafeBC Unique Fee Schedule for exclusive WorkSafeBC fee items, dollar amounts, and fee codes to use when submitting your invoice. 

Checking your payment status

The fastest, easiest way to check the status of your invoice is through our online check invoice status tool. 

The "Check Invoice Status" online tool can help you reconcile surgical billings and determine which billings received the expedited surgical uplift (applicable to surgeons only).

If the information in the tool shows a line item that you think meets the expedited criteria but was not paid at the expedited rate, please call our Payment Services team at 604.276.3085.

Check invoice status

Referring a patient for additional treatment

If you’re treating workers who need additional treatment or services, you can refer them to any of our rehabilitation programs, or to other health care provider types.

For diagnostic imaging referrals, you can fax our Requisition for Medical Imaging form to the Visiting Specialists' Clinic (VSC) at 604.214.6799 from the Lower Mainland or 1.888.967.5377 from elsewhere in Canada.