Our main focus at the WSIB, and I think all across the province, is return to work. However, these cases are particularly challenging because of their nature, so we try to build a strong platform medically to make sure we're going into charted waters. As I said earlier, it is collaborative. We take a slower approach with these than with someone who has a strain, for example because these cases require more care.
We have a number of programs, but primarily it is a slow reintegration into the workforce, and a planned effort. We support our clients with a multidisciplinary team, so there is nursing available for them to work through their medical challenges. We typically have boots on the ground in terms of reintegration with the accident employer. We'll have someone, face to face, do planning with the worker and involve the physician, so together they're working towards employment.
You mentioned the return to pre-accident employment and function. That is the ultimate goal, but we start very slowly and incrementally, particularly on these cases. They are more challenging, and we want to maybe guarantee success by going slow and having a thoughtful plan.
If we can get a worker back to work one day a week or two hours a day, depending upon what the medical needs are, we'll do that, because when workers are outside their normal work environment, they are outside their social environment, their safety net, so to speak. Even integrating them to the workforce in a slow capacity, in any capacity, reaffirms their position in the employment relationship with their peers, with their supervisors. Going slow, oftentimes we find is the way to go.