British Columbia form
WorkSafeBC Physiotherapy Discharge Report
The WorkSafeBC physiotherapy discharge report closes the episode. Case managers read it to see whether the worker is back to the job, still limited, or needs another service. If the initial report was the baseline, this is the comparison — not a recap of every visit.
What discharge actually means here
Discharge is the last physiotherapy visit you are reporting to WorkSafeBC for this injury, not a clinical declaration that the person is 'cured.' You can discharge to full duties, to modified duties with a physician, to a different program, or because the worker stopped attending.
Compare today's function with the initial report. If flexion was mid-shin on day one and is now to the floor with a 20 kg lift from knuckle height, write those two numbers. A narrative that says 'improved, doing well' is not a discharge.
Non-attendance is still a discharge
If the worker no-showed twice and you are closing the file, say that. Give last-attended date, last known work status, and that you could not complete the plan. Do not invent an end-range exam you did not do.
Who signs
The treating physiotherapist who saw the last visit, or the PT who is closing a no-show file from the chart. A different therapist in the same clinic can sign if they have examined the worker or are clearly discharging from records — say which.
How to complete the clinical fields
- Dates: first visit, last visit, number of visits attended vs booked.
- Goals: which ones were met, which were not, and why (pain plateau, work not offering modified duties, comorbidity).
- Current objective findings, using the same tests as the initial so the file can be compared.
- Work status on discharge: full, modified with limits, or off. If modified, write the actual job restriction, not 'light duties.'
- Self-management: the two or three things the worker is left with (home program, lift technique, when to return).
- Recommendations: physician review, occupational rehabilitation, specialist, or none. One line. Do not dump a wish list.
If you are discharging because treatment is not changing function, say plateau. That is useful. Pretending the file is complete when the worker still cannot do the pre-injury job is not.
Worked example (fictional)
Retail rotator cuff — discharge to modified duties
Fictional 52-year-old. Do not copy into a real WorkSafeBC report.
Claim accepted. First PT 3 Jun 2026. Last PT 28 Jul 2026. Attended 11 of 12 visits. Injury: right supraspinatus tendinopathy after repetitive overhead stocking. Initial: active abduction 90°, painful arc, night pain, unable to reach top shelf (180 cm). Off work. Discharge exam: abduction 160° with end-range discomfort 2/10, Hawkins mild, night pain resolved, can lift 2 kg to 150 cm × 10 with good scapular control. Cannot repeat 5 kg overhead for a full shift. Goals: pain at rest met; full overhead endurance not met. Work: cashier/stocker. Discharged to modified duties — no overhead stocking, lift limit 5 kg below shoulder, 6-hour shifts × 2 weeks, then physician to review full duties. Home program: band ER, scapular setting, paced reaching. No further PT requested unless duties fail.
Why discharge reports stall a claim
- No comparison with the initial findings.
- Work status that still says 'as tolerated.'
- Discharging to 'light duties' when the employer has no such job.
- Blank attendance when the worker missed half the block.
- Recommendations for more PT with no new goal.
Draft the discharge report from the last visit
In Scribeberry, open Forms, search for the WorkSafeBC physiotherapy discharge report, or upload WorkSafeBC's current PDF. Generate from the encounter and your notes, then edit every field before you submit. Scribeberry does not pre-map this form. You still review and sign.
Frequently asked questions
Do I discharge if the worker is still sore?
Yes, if you have reached the agreed visit block, a plateau, or a transfer to another program. Residual symptoms are expected. Write the residual function and the work status, not a promise of zero pain.
What if the employer will not take the worker back on modified duties?
Write the restrictions you can defend. Note that modified work was not available, if that is what the worker told you. WorkSafeBC and the employer sort placement. You certify function.
Is discharge the same as maximum medical recovery?
No. MMR is usually a physician determination. Your discharge is the end of this physiotherapy episode. You can still recommend a physician review.
Does Scribeberry submit the discharge to WorkSafeBC?
No. Scribeberry helps you complete the PDF from the visit. You submit through WorkSafeBC's channel and keep a copy in the chart.
Forms
