This is one of the most consistent questions we hear at HW. For us, the answer is straight forward, no you do not. Technically, you do not need a doctor's note to see any of our allied healthcare practitioners. However, when it comes to your specific insurance company, policy and adjuster, you might find that they require a note in order to cover the cost of your care. In any case, we always encourage patients to book an assessment when they are in pain and ready to work towards a solution. Our Client Experience Team would gladly help walk you through the logistics of working with insurers.

Straight forward answer for us: Yes, we bill direct to all insurance companies from whom that service is available. However, sometimes it is not possible if you work with an insurance company that insists on reimbursing you, the insured member. Unfortunately, the insurer has set these parameters and we are unable to change their process. If direct billing to your specific insurance company is available to anybody, it is available to us and we will provide that service.

This is a tough one. Transparently, last minute cancellations are really hard on our practitioners. Each are paid on a commission basis and rely on their patients to show up in order to receive their income. As such, we ask that everyone is diligent about their bookings. If you need to cancel, please do so at least 24 hours in advance. If you are unable, we will ask for a small contribution to offset the loss for the practitioner. Out of respect for busyness of life and the realities of the occasional impossible scenario, we are happy to ensure everyone gets a free pass once every six months. Thanks for your help with this... tough subject all around.

Great question! We have over 30 different healthcare practitioners working integratively in the Ottawa area. Each has their own unique set of experiences and education and each has a lot to bring to the table. If you have yet to meet anyone from the team and haven't had a specific practitioner recommended to you, our suggestion is to call in to one of our client experience team. We can walk you through some good options and make sure that your schedule is compatible with the practitioner and that you will be able to maximize accessibility to care. 613-720-1788 (Barrhaven) 343-574-1788 (Nepean Baxter) 613-974-1788 (Orleans)

So, nobody actually asks this but ... we think you should know. Your initial assessment will last 1 hr and that entire hour will be spent with your practitioner. During that hour, the practitioner will review some of your health history, the background of your injury and the particulars of your symptoms and their patterns. The practitioner will come to a clinical impression of your injury and will begin to devise a treatment plan. This plan will most likely involve some hands on treatment interventions, some exercise prescription and perhaps some integration of peripheral treatment modalities or practitioner teams. Within the initial assessment appointment, the practitioner will begin to administer some of the treatment interventions that they plan to incorporate within your recovery. You should also expect them to walk you through some education and strategies around managing your symptoms between your assessment and your next appointment. Lots to pack into an hour! Our group is determined that we kick things off in a meaningful way and in a way that gets you started on your road to recovery.