What is a preferred provider?

​The term 'preferred provider' can refer to medical, allied health and workplace rehabilitation services provided as part of a worker's compensation claim.  These service providers may be preferred by key stakeholders, such as your local government, to assist with managing the return to work. 

Preferred providers often have experience within the workers' compensation system, and can assist in returning a worker to appropriate duties.

There are many benefits to setting up a preferred provider arrangement, such as:

• Providing holistic understanding of the injured worker's role and physical/cognitive/mental capacity required to perform the role
• Providing familiarity with your local government's work and business operations which assists in returning the worker to light/suitable duties faster, and reduces disruption to operations and impact on other workers, including decreasing lost time
• Assisting with developing and maintaining rapport and relationships with all key stakeholders at your local government
• Providing a consistent level of care and support to all workers
• Demonstrating experience working with and treating work-related injuries and guiding treatment and RTW plans for long term sustainable RTW
• Providing awareness of the Workers' Compensation and Injury Management Act 1981 (the Act) and the rights and responsibilities of each stakeholder

Please note, even if you have a preferred provider arrangement, the injured worker still has the right to choose their own provider.