The service he was seeking was to take part in a chronic obstructive lung disease exercise program. The veteran had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The program was not led by a physiotherapist. The program was led by a kinesiologist and other allied health professionals. The programs funded and recognized by the VIP are ones that are led by physiotherapists or are medically supervised. We had to make the case that the program being delivered was evidence-based. We were fortunate, being a national centre that does its own research and that benefits from the research others do, that we were able to make the case.
The question would be whether a similar veteran in another community who was trying to access a similar program would be declined because it was a health promotion initiative and not necessarily a rehab initiative led by a physiotherapist.