WCB Saskatchewan PPI: Physician's Initial Report

Saskatchewan's WCB requires this one-page report from the primary practitioner for every work-related injury that needs medical attention, even when the worker loses no time. When the worker is off work, it confirms the disability so wage-loss benefits can be paid promptly, and its restriction and transitional return-to-work items record what work is possible. The WCB adjudicates the claim using it alongside the worker's and employer's reports.

Who completes it

The primary practitioner, typically the physician who first assesses the worker, completes and signs the whole form. The worker and employer report separately; the employer files the Employer's Initial Report of Injury (E1).

How to fill it in

Worker, employer and physician details

Fill in the WCB claim number if known, the worker's name, address, postal code, phone, Provincial Health Number and date of birth (MM/DD/YYYY), and the employer's name. Add your name and address, clinic name and clinic number, doctor number, phone and fax. The WCB will only pay an invoice that carries the worker's name, address, PHN and date of birth, your care provider and clinic numbers, and your contact details, so complete them here.

Injury: items 1 to 5

Give the date of injury and the date of initial exam (MM/DD/YYYY), the part of body injured, your diagnosis, and the mechanism of injury, meaning how the work activity or event produced the injury. The WCB decides the claim using your report together with the worker's and employer's reports, and says thorough, complete information helps its claims entitlement specialists make accurate decisions.

Items 6 to 8: Subjective complaints, objective findings, investigations ordered

Record the worker's subjective complaints and your objective findings separately, then tick the investigations ordered: X-ray, CT, MRI, blood work, none or other. The WCB doesn't require a specialist referral to arrange MRI, CT or other diagnostics, and where there is a waiting list it can often help expedite them; requests can be made on a report form. Forward copies of diagnostic reports to the WCB once available.

Item 9: Treatment plan

Tick each part of the plan: medication, physical therapist, chiropractor, massage, specialist, hospitalized, education, exercise, transitional RTW, or no treatment required. Items marked with an asterisk ask you to name the medication or caregiver. A referral is not authorization to treat: non-physician providers you refer to must contact the WCB for authorization on each file, and referrals should state the medical limitations and the goals and objectives of treatment.

Item 10: Off work or working with restrictions

Answer whether you advised the patient to be off work because of the injury and, if not, whether they should work with restrictions; a yes to either means completing items 11 to 18. The WCB's support package asks practitioners to give restrictions rather than authorize absence in almost all cases unless the worker is hospitalized or housebound, and to assume the employer can and will accommodate. The onus is on the employer to match work to those restrictions.

Items 11 and 12: Previous injury and factors that might prolong recovery

Item 11 asks whether you know of a previous injury or treatment to the same area, with time frames. Item 12 asks whether you know of any factor that might prolong recovery. The WCB's support package lists risk factors for chronic disability, such as a significant number of prior claims, family or financial problems, and a view of the disability that is out of proportion to the injury.

Items 13 and 14: Estimated restrictions and duration

Tick estimated restrictions (lifting, pushing/pulling, reaching, overhead reaching, turning, walking, stairs, ladders), give standing and sitting tolerances in hours, and note environmental or other limits. Then tick how long the injury may affect activity (under 8 days, giving the number, 8 to 14, 15 to 21, or over 21 days) and an expected RTW date. The WCB asks that restrictions rest on objective findings and state how long accommodated duties are needed; if unsure of a range, restrict the activity and refer for functional testing by a physical therapist.

Items 15 to 18: Transitional return to work and comments

Record whether transitional RTW (also called gradual return or modified duties) has been discussed with the worker and with the employer, whether it has been arranged and its start date, and any specific safety or medication concerns, such as medication effects that could impair balance or pose a safety risk. Explain a 'no' on item 16 or a 'yes' on item 17 in item 18. Once a plan is agreed, the Practitioner's Return to Work Report (PRTW) confirms hours and restrictions.

Signature, date and copy to

Sign and date the form before mailing or faxing it, and note anyone receiving a copy. If at the same visit you counsel the worker on early return to work and complete an employer-provided restrictions, functional abilities or return-to-work form, bill code 640 per 10 minutes in addition to the visit and the PPI. Keep a daily record of services provided to WCB customers in case of audit.

Common mistakes

Skipping the PPI because the worker lost no time; the WCB requires it for every work injury that needs medical attention.
Answering yes to time off or working with restrictions but leaving items 11 to 18 blank; incomplete reports earn no report fee.
Sending a handwritten form that is hard to read: the WCB pays no report fee for illegible reports.
Faxing the form unsigned, though it asks you to sign before mailing or faxing.
Writing 'off work' with no restrictions; the WCB expects restrictions in almost every case unless the worker is hospitalized or housebound.
Expecting two report fees for one day: when the WCB receives more than one report on the same day, it pays only one.

Submitting and payment

How to submit it: Send it within three days of the assessment, either online through a WCB online account (physicians with a WCB billing number can apply for one) or by faxing the signed form to the numbers printed on it.
Who pays: The WCB pays fee code 650 for the PPI plus code 651 when it is submitted through WCB online services, billed on the Doctor's Billing (DOC) form or online, and only one report fee is paid per day.

Good to know

No report fee is paid for illegible or incomplete reports or for photocopies of operative and diagnostic reports, though copies of such special reports should still be forwarded.
You may attach clinic notes to the form if they include everything it asks for and cover only the work injury; typewritten notes are especially helpful.
Care providers don't need a signed release from the worker to send medical information to the WCB; legislation allows it.
Follow up with a Physician's Progress Report (PPP) when the condition, diagnosis or treatment changes, and about every three weeks while the worker is still off work.

Get the official form

Download the current version from the source each time; forms change without notice.

Physician's Initial Report (PPI)

Official page PDF

Fill it with Vero

Upload the fillable PDF once and Vero Documents fills it from the visit note and the chart, ready for you to review and sign. Download, print, or email the finished form, with the patient’s consent.

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How this list is checked

A form is listed only after its name and number were confirmed on the issuing agency’s or insurer’s own website, or in the form itself. Each entry links to that source. The list was last checked in October 2026. Forms change without notice, so download the current version from the official page before you fill it in.

Sources for this guide

Vero is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the agencies and insurers listed here. Read our editorial policy.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a PPI if the worker didn't miss any work?

Yes. Primary practitioners must submit a PPI for every work-related injury that requires medical attention, whether or not the worker needs time off beyond the day of injury. When the worker does lose time, the PPI confirms the disability, which allows the WCB to arrange timely payment of wage-loss benefits.

How long do I have to submit the PPI?

The WCB asks for the PPI within three days of your assessment, and prompt reporting lets it arrange timely payment of benefits to the worker. Separately, any account for medical aid must reach the WCB within 12 months of the service, or it will not be paid.

Can I send my clinic notes instead of filling in the PPI?

The WCB lets physicians attach a copy of their clinic notes to the report form, provided the notes contain all the information the form requests and are limited to the work injury; typewritten notes are especially helpful. Because incomplete or illegible reports are not paid, the notes need to answer everything the PPI asks.

What is the difference between the PPI, PPP and PRTW?

The PPI is the initial report after your first assessment. The Physician's Progress Report (PPP) follows when the condition, diagnosis or treatment changes, about every three weeks while the worker is off, and within three days of discharge. The Practitioner's Return to Work Report (PRTW) confirms hours and restrictions once a return-to-work plan is agreed, with copies to the employer and worker.