Improving Access to Pedorthic Care Through Advocacy and Collaboration

In early 2025, the Southeast Alberta Chamber of Commerce was approached by one of our members to support advocacy related to Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB) claims for pedorthists. While initial conversations on this issue had taken place as early as 2023 through industry advocacy, industry members sought the Chamber’s support to help move the work forward as it remained unresolved since that time.

At the heart of the issue was a gap in pedorthist eligibility and billing recognition within WCB processes. This gap was creating barriers for injured workers attempting to access qualified health care professionals trained in foot and ankle care, particularly outside major urban centres. In rural regions such as Southeast Alberta, limited provider recognition can have a significant impact on both access to care and recovery outcomes.

Recognizing the importance of timely, appropriate treatment, the Chamber engaged with government representatives, WCB Alberta, and Alberta’s Ministry of Jobs, Economic Development and Trade to explore how industry concerns could be addressed. Our goal was to better understand eligibility criteria, application processes, and any contractual requirements affecting Allied Health Professionals within the WCB system.

While the Chamber was familiar with WCB’s authorized provider networks and available forms and guides, it became clear that contracts and billing recognition were in place for some Allied Health Professionals, but not others. This inconsistency limited system flexibility and, in some cases, resulted in higher costs or delays for workers and employers.

Our Chamber believes that expanding access to a broader range of Allied Health Professionals, based on clinical competencies, creates a more sustainable, affordable and accessible workers’ health care system. Equitable recognition across disciplines helps ensure workers receive the right care at the right time while supporting cost-effectiveness and downtime for employers.

We were pleased to collaborate directly with WCB staff who worked with us to better understand industry concerns and identify opportunities for process improvements. Over a four-month period, we maintained regular discussions to clarify challenges, review internal processes, and identify practical solutions.

As a result of this collaboration, WCB provided access to the Prosthetic and Orthotics Fee Guide and developed a new pedorthist-specific fee schedule. This new billing guide provides clarity on eligible services and fees, helping to streamline service delivery across the network and reduce uncertainty for providers and patients alike. As of December 2025, the Pedorthist Billing Guide is now published on the WCB Alberta website and will be accessible by searching “pedorthist” or “billing” on the site. WCB website

The Southeast Alberta Chamber of Commerce appreciates the time, openness and commitment demonstrated by WCB staff in addressing this issue. This work represents a meaningful step forward for pedorthists, injured workers and employers, particularly in rural Alberta. We will continue to advocate for our recommendations on Equitable Billing and Referral Privileges for Allied Health Professionals as part of our ongoing efforts to improve system efficiency, patient access, and outcomes across Alberta’s workforce.