What the PPI is for
The PPI is the treating physician’s first report to WCB Saskatchewan on a work injury. Care providers must report any work-related injury needing 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 so WCB can pay benefits promptly. Your restrictions and return-to-work estimate also go to the employer and worker to plan modified duties.
Who completes it
The primary practitioner who examined the worker completes and signs the whole form. The worker doesn’t fill in a part.
How to fill in the report
Header
Give the clinic name and number, your doctor number, phone and fax, and the worker’s name, PHN, date of birth, phone, address and employer. Add the WCB claim number if the worker has one. Your invoice to WCB needs the same PHN and date of birth, so check them against the health card.
Injury
Record the date of injury and of your first exam, the body part, the diagnosis and the mechanism in the worker’s words. Then give subjective complaints, objective findings, investigations ordered and the treatment plan. Name the medication or the provider when you tick medication, physical therapy, chiropractic, massage or a specialist.
Time off and restrictions
Say whether you’ve advised the worker to be off work, or to work with restrictions. If either applies, the form asks you to complete the additional information section below. Stating only “off work” with no restrictions leaves the employer nothing to build modified duties on.
Additional information
Note any earlier injury to the same area and any factor that might prolong recovery. Fill in the estimated restrictions with numbers: lifting and pushing or pulling in pounds, standing and sitting in hours, and limits on reaching, stairs and ladders. Give the expected duration in the range boxes and a return-to-work date. Say whether a transitional return to work has been discussed with the worker and the employer, whether one is arranged and from when, and any safety or medication concerns.
Signature
Sign and date the form before you fax or mail it, and list anyone who receives a copy.
Common reasons it’s delayed or unpaid
- An unsigned report.
- Illegible or incomplete reports, which WCB won’t pay for.
- Off work advised with no restrictions or duration given.
- Restrictions with no numbers, such as “light duties”.
- Missing worker details, such as the PHN or date of birth.
Submitting and who pays
Submit the PPI through WCB online services or by fax to the number on the form. WCB pays the reporting fee directly when you invoice it on the Doctor’s Billing form or online: $77.06 under the schedule effective April 1, 2025, plus $16.25 for online submission. WCB won’t pay accounts it receives more than 12 months after the service. Forward copies of diagnostic and operative reports too, since they save you writing a separate report.