Scientific reviews identify
barriers in return to work:
DSI recommends objective rather than subjective solutions
By Susan J. Isernhagen PT C.O.O.
Excellent papers by William S Shaw of Liberty Mutual and colleagues have been published in SPINE, AAOHN and the Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation. A recent publication in Physical Therapy May 2011 Vol 91, Addressing Occupational Factors in the Management of Low Back Pain called upon rehabilitation professionals to understand the barriers to return to work and to take part in providing best care. Shaw, Main and Johnston reported results of systematic research reviews. Factors shown to be significant barriers to return to work are:
- Patient report of heavy physical demands,
- inability to modify job tasks,
- work stress,
- lack of organizational support,
- job dissatisfaction,
- poor expectations for resuming usual work
- fear of reinjury
The author’s primary recommendations include self-report questionnaires on his/her physical job demands, interviewing patients to identify return to work concerns, discussions on job modifications and including return to work information in medical/rehab progress reports. DSI also believes these to be baseline necessities for those working with injured or ill workers. At the basic level, all of these should be implemented.
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2 DSI providers receive national recognition. Jim Milder and Nancy Nesbitt: Read below:
Jim Milder PT, of Carol Stream IL was awarded the highest honor in the American Physical Therapy Association Private Practice Section. At the Nov. national meeting in Seattle, Jim received the Robert G Dicus award which is presented annually to recognize a private practice physical therapist who has contributed to the profession and the professional association. Jim was recognized for his years of service as a Director of the American Physical Therapy Association, the Illinois Physical Therapy Association and the Private Practice Section and for service on state and national political action and legislative committees. Jim’s comments affirmed his commitment to the profession and urged all rehabilitation professionals to commit to their respective professional association, to work toward use of the best practices for patient care, and to work for accountability and responsibility to shape health care delivery. He spoke to the need for all to be involved in answering the challenges of “healthcare reform”. Jim provides DSI programs in industrial settings and performs DSI Functional Capacity Assessments in IL. We congratulate him for this recognition.
Nancy Nesbitt DPT of Back n Action clinic in Park Falls WI was recognized for her contribution to industrial physical therapy and occupational health in her community. Rehab Management Solutions, in recognizing Nancy’s contributions, wrote “Industrial programs and paradigms continue to evolve, yet some therapists still struggle”….Yet, Nancy succeeds. Nancy has written, ” I realize that not having the additional industrial skills was actually holding me back” …Being specialty trained and implementing an industrial rehab atmosphere and facility for our patients has improved practice greatly”. READ MORE |
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HEALTH & WORK HIGHLIGHTS
Change work goal from punching in to producing results!
What is work about? Is it about being at your desk or about getting things done? How many of us know workers that show up at work but often fritter away their time. We know others who, when given a task, get it done both well and quickly. And, in these times of desiring “healthier workforce”, do either of these have health consequences?
A study published in late 2011 by Moen, Kelly, and Tranby in the Journal of Health and Social Behaviour, described a study done at Best Buy headquarters in Richfield MN. They used a process called ROWE (Results Only Work Environment). 659 employees participated. Half were enrolled in ROWE and half worked normally. They all completed a web survey at the end of the six month study period. ROWE employees could choose when and where they worked and were only measured by their productivity. They did not need to notify or seek permission from a manager.
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Exercise has health impact than weight.
Which is more important? Stepping on the treadmill or stepping on the scale? A new study shows that those who maintain or improve their fitness level, even if body weight increases or remains stagnant, can reduce their risk of death. The study was published in the December 2011 issue of Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.
"This is good news for people who are physically active but can't seem to lose weight," says Duck-chul Lee, PhD, the study's lead researcher and physical activity epidemiologist in the Department of Exercise Science at the University of South Carolina Arnold School of Public Health, Columbia, SC. "You can worry less about your weight as long as you continue to maintain or increase your fitness levels."
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Washington State’s work comp network mandate:
Washington's Department of Labor & Industries (L&I)is creating a statewide network of providers for treatment of work-related injuries and illnesses. It is seeking public comments on draft standards for health-care providers who treat injured workers on workers compensation and those covered by self-insured employers. It will be enacted to improve workers' return to work outcomes. Washington State has sponsored the forward thinking “Centers of Occupational Health and Education (COHEs)”. They have worked on the best methods to improve return to work.
In February 2012, L&I will begin enrolling providers in the new network which includes physicians, chiropractors, naturopathic physicians, podiatrists, advanced registered nurse practitioners, physician assistants, dentists and optometrists. Other providers will be added later and can continue to treat normally until network standards are set. Starting Jan. 1, 2013, injured workers can choose to see a non-network provider for the initial visit but must go to a network provider for ongoing care.
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