Ottawa clinic opens for veterans and RCMP as coverage changes limit access to shockwave therapy

The capital’s first wellness clinic dedicated to veterans and RCMP has opened. CTV’s Katelyn Wilson reports.

After 25 years serving his country, including three tours overseas, Scott Atkinson knows the toll that service can take on both the mind and the body.

“Sometimes it hits you right away,” said Atkinson.

“I’ve met people who it’s years later or something pops up, and all of a sudden, their mental health goes down and they don’t know why,” he said. “Mental health is huge with me and the physio. My body is broken, and I do a lot of physio, kinesiology and such.”

For years, Atkinson pieced together treatment wherever he could. Now, for the first time, everything he needs is in one place.

Echelon Wellness has opened Ottawa’s first clinic dedicated exclusively to veterans and RCMP members, one of six across the country already serving nearly 4,000 patients.

The clinic provides integrated care tailored to mental, physical, sexual and administrative needs.

“The demand has been resounding. It is exclusively for military veterans, and we offer them a one-stop shop for all their healthcare needs,” said Igor Gimelshtein, CEO of Echelon Wellness.

“We have patients that haven’t seen health care providers in 20 to 30 years, and we have patients that just got out of military service last week, and we are the only place where veterans can come and see only their brothers and sisters.”

Among the treatments is shockwave therapy for men’s health and chronic pain, one that many veterans say has been life-changing.

But recent changes at Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) are limiting how much of that therapy is covered and which conditions qualify.

“Since 2017, Veterans Affairs (has) been covering shockwave therapy for chronic pain. And so our veterans are suffering, they don’t understand why these crucial benefits are being taken away from them,” said Gimelshtein.

“We have a national campaign. We’ve heard over 250 veterans have written letters to their MPs, to Veterans Affairs, to the Veteran Ombudsman, and unfortunately that does not seem to be moving towards veterans in terms of their coverage.”

According to VAC, the treatment has been used in physiotherapy and chiropractic care to address conditions affecting the shoulders, elbows, hips, knees and feet.

Since 2022, more than 560 veterans have been reimbursed for shockwave therapy, with the average session costing around $365, it says.

VAC says it routinely reviews medical evidence to ensure treatments are safe and effective. Following a recent review, the department announced that shockwave therapy will now only be considered for chronic tendinopathies, such as persistent tendon pain.

“As new health and medical evidence becomes available, Veterans Affairs Canada will review the new evidence and make a recommendation on whether or not to include this benefit as part of healthcare coverage for Veterans,” VAC said in a statement.

For Atkinson, those limits could mean losing access to a treatment that’s helped him and manage his chronic pain.

“I’ve been through opioid addiction… and the shockwave therapy helps with the chronic pain in the joints,” he said. “They’re taking it away, and it’s going to have bad consequences.”

And Gimelshtein says the consequences could be devastating.

“Our patients are telling us these are life-saving treatments that, if taken away, may have irreversible consequences, including divorce, disability and, unfortunately, suicide,” he said.

Despite the uncertainty, Echelon Wellness strives to fill a critical gap, bringing care, connection and a sense of belonging back to those who’ve served.

“We’ve become such a military veteran community in the outlying areas,” Atkinson said. “It’s needed, and it’s a great place for people to go.”

• Sign up now for daily CTV News Ottawa newsletters
• The information you need to know, sent directly to you: Download the CTV News App