Overview
The Ministry of Health and the Ontario Medical Association have been making positive changes by making program changes to the publicly-funded Community Physiotherapy Clinic Program. This is part of our commitment to reducing red tape and the administrative burden on physicians.
Program changes
Several program changes have been made to the Community Physiotherapy Clinic Program. The changes that pertain to physicians include removing the requirement for a referral from a primary care provider.
Note: While physicians are no longer required to refer patients to the program, the option to do so will remain in effect.
If physicians are choosing to refer patients to the program, they are still expected to provide all the necessary documentation to the Community Physiotherapy Clinic Program so that a thorough initial assessment can be conducted by the physiotherapist on site.
How people can access the Community Physiotherapy Clinic Program
The updated eligibility criteria now includes if they are discharged from hospital following outpatient/day surgery as below:
- an Ontario resident with a valid OHIP card
- 65 years or older
- 19 years or under
- any age after an overnight hospital stay or outpatient/day surgery (within the last 12 months) for the condition requiring physiotherapy
- a recipient of the Ontario Works or the Ontario Disability Support Program (any age)
Please note: a referral to publicly-funded physiotherapy does not guarantee eligibility. If patients do not meet the eligibility criteria for the Community Physiotherapy Clinic Program, they can pay for services privately or go through a third-party insurer.
Patients may also wish to find out if they can access other publicly-funded physiotherapy programs such as in-home care, and exercise and falls prevention classes.
For more information on where to access publicly funded physiotherapy services in your Ontario Health region, please visit: ontario.ca/page/get-physiotherapy.
Please CLICK HERE for a list of local publicly funded physiotherapy services.