FAQ
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About the Pilot Programme
WIRO ceased accepting applications from 23 September 2025, and then will continue to operate for a period to provide services to cases admitted before this date that still require rehabilitation treatment and follow up under the Pilot Programme. For enquiries, please call 2293-7000 or visit our office.The Pilot Programme is beneficial to both injured employees and employers- Private rehabilitation treatment with same fees as public hospitals
- Need not wait for services of public hospitals
- Grasp the golden period for rehabilitation treatment to recover as soon as possible and prevent work injuries from turning into chronic conditions
- Return to work early and maintain productivity
In addition to musculoskeletal injuries due to work injuries, employees contracting musculoskeletal occupational diseases prescribed under the Employees′ Compensation Ordinance (ECO) (including cramp of the hand or forearm, beat hand, beat knee, beat elbow, tenosynovitis of the hand or forearm, and carpal tunnel syndrome) can also join the Pilot Programme.Injured employees having an orthopedic appointment/ received orthopedic treatment in a public hospital can join the Pilot Programme.During the employee′s participation in the Pilot Programme, the relevant appointments for orthopedic outpatient treatment in public hospitals will only be postponed until the employee has reached the maximum medical improvement. Where necessary, the employee may still receive further treatment from the orthopedics department of a public hospital.As it is common for injured employees who have undergone or been arranged to undergo surgery to be hospitalised after the surgery and followed up by the attending doctors, they are generally not the service targets of the Pilot Programme.However, if injured employees who have undergone surgery in hospitals wish to join the Pilot Programme because the waiting time for rehabilitation and follow-up treatment in public hospitals is long, or they consider that the more intensive rehabilitation treatment and case management services of the Pilot Programme can help them recover and return to work early, they can be arranged to see the case doctor for clinical assessment. After ascertainment of their suitability for receiving treatment under the Pilot Programme, the injured employees can join the Programme.To avoid duplication of public resources and compromising the outcome of the treatment under the Pilot Programme, any consultations, rehabilitation treatments and testing/examination services scheduled by public hospitals for the employee′s work injury that are covered by the Pilot Programme have to be cancelled or postponed.The services provided under the Pilot Programme depends on the injury and recovery of individual injured employee. In general, the Pilot Programme will provide rehabilitation treatment services until the individual employee has reached maximum medical improvement (i.e. the employee has fully recovered from injury through treatment or cannot further recover from injury with treatment) and return to work. If an employee has reached maximum medical improvement but has not yet returned to work, the Pilot Programme will still provide follow-up services for a period not exceeding two months. The reach to maximum medical improvement is a professional medical judgment made by the case doctor having regard to the progress of recovery of an injured employee.Some participants may still require follow-up treatment for their health conditions after reaching maximum medical improvement, such as treatments for relieving certain residual symptoms (e.g. pain), or treatments for other illnesses not related to the work injury. The case doctors of the Pilot Programme will provide referral letters to individual employees based on their circumstances such that they can continue to receive relevant treatment services at public hospitals.The rehabilitation treatment services fees charged under the Pilot Programme are the same as those by public hospitals. The employee can later reimburse the rehabilitation treatment services fees from the employer in accordance with the Employees′ Compensation Ordinance (ECO).Participation in the Pilot Programme will not affect the rights and benefits of the injured employees under the ECO. In other words, the injured employees′ right for statutory compensations (including periodical payments) under the ECO, the medical clearance procedures of the Occupational Medicine Unit and the arrangement for assessment of permanent incapacity arising from the work injury are no different from other work injury cases.Injured employees can choose their doctors and rehabilitation professionals under the Pilot Programme. To facilitate the rehabilitation treatment, they are advised to choose a clinic or treatment centre near their residences. For more information on the service locations, please visit rehabilitation network. -
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About WIRO
When adverse weather warnings, amber or red rainstorm warning signal, T1 or T3 tropical cyclone warning signal is issued- In general, WIRO will provide services as normal.
When pre-No. 8 Special Announcement is issued- In general, WIRO will maintain operation until the issue of No. 8 or higher Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal.
When "extreme conditions" announcement or Black Rainstorm Warning Signal is issued- Generally speaking, if the "extreme conditions" announcement or Black Rainstorm Warning Signal is issued before service hour and remains in force by the normal opening time, WIRO will delay the opening of the office. If the relevant signal is issued during office hour, WIRO will remain open.
Please check out this website for real-time announcement on the latest service arrangements in the above situations.In general, if Tropical Cyclone Signal No. 8 or above, "extreme conditions" announcement or Black Rainstorm Warning Signal is lowered or cancelled, our services will be resumed in 2 hours. In case the warning signal is lowered or cancelled within 2 hours before the close of business, services will remain suspended for that day.Please check out this website for real-time announcement on the latest service arrangements in the above situations.The service arrangements will vary according to the situations of each clinic/ treatment centre/ imaging examination service centre/ electrodiagnostic testing service centre. For details, please contact the relevant clinic/ treatment centre/ imaging examination service centre/ electrodiagnostic testing service centre directly.
