For many physicians, employer and insurance medical forms are a significant administrative burden. With over 40,000 employers in Manitoba, each has its own form and process, asking for similar information in different ways. We’ve been working with the Canadian Medical Association (CMA) on tackling this issue. 

What’s new: The CMA is now consulting on a draft policy to better define your role in helping patients return to work. And you are invited to participate! 

• Goal: Clarify what physicians should — and should not — do 
• Focus: Reduce unnecessary administrative work 
• Approach: Emphasize functional, solution-focused information 

Why it matters: Return-to-work forms and employer requests are a major burden and clearer rules could save time and reduce friction in your practice. Our research in Manitoba estimated: 

• There are more than 380,000 requests per year 
• Requests take up more than 58,000 physician hours per year 

Processes are often unclear, duplicative, and inefficient. 

Zoom in: The draft policy reinforces a key shift. 

• Your role: Provide medical information (restrictions, limitations) 
• Not your role: Decide if a patient can return to work 
• Employer’s role: Determine accommodation based on your input 
• Important nuance: You can decline out-of-scope questions or qualify responses (e.g., ​“patient reports”) 

How to participate: You can provide feedback on the draft anytime before April 9. 

• Review the CMA’s proposed Return to Work Policy here.
• Complete this survey to share your views. It takes about 20 minutes. 
• Participate in virtual discussion session on Tue March 24 from 5 – 7pm or on Tue Mar 31 from 10am-12pm. Register here.

Our work continues too: While participating in the CMA initiative to update this policy, we’ve been working here in Manitoba on related initiatives: 

• Eliminating sick notes, with legislation currently being considered by the legislature 
• Creating a universal employer medical form to simplify the requests that come to physicians for return to work, accommodations, and the common associated issues