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ASSESSMENT & CORPORATE SERVICES IN OWEN SOUND
Work Injury Illness Management Begins with an Assessment
Ultimately the quality of any workplace injury and illness management program depend upon the availability of key information. The process of establishing a coordinated health management program begins with data collection and the development of a needs analysis for each specific facility/employer. Without this data, it may be difficult to assess your company, your employees’ needs, and to develop a structured health management plan. This process of data collection also permits future cost and benefit analysis of implemented injury/illness management initiatives.
Facility Health Profile Assessment
It is essential to collect data of the following nature in order to provide an accurate picture of your organizations’ present injury/illness patterns, and effectiveness of present and future management strategies. The data may include:
- Number of employees
- Total hours worked
- Number of lost time injury days
- Overall facility
- By department
- By job
- Number of modified duty days
- Overall facility
- By department
- By job
- Injuries/illness
- Types of injury
- Time between onset of symptoms and report date
- Time between symptom onset and intervention (treatment)
- Type of treatment
- Previous history of injuries
- Injured employees
- Age
- Gender
- Height
- Weight
- Years of service
- Years at task/job associated with injury
- Shift
- Insurance premiums
Using clear facility specific data permits the identification of problem or potential problem areas. The availability of this information also facilitates the development of productive and meaningful return to work programs.
Bayshore Physical Therapy will develop the process and perform the above data collection and analysis for your facility. If preferred, Bayshore Physical Therapy will assist you and your organization to perform this process yourself.
Workplace (Job Site Analysis) Assessment
The injury and illness management process also involves an understanding of the jobs being performed and the job site itself.
Our job site analysis provides clear concise information regarding the interaction between the worker, the job tasks, and the job site itself. This information is invaluable in the development of injury prevention programs and transitional return to work plans. Once the demands of a particular job/job site are established, this information may be utilized to help with job placement decisions, and to assist treating practitioners to establish safe timely transitional return to work plans.
Functional Abilities Evaluations (Assessment)
In the rare case where information regarding an employee’s present physical abilities is required, a functional abilities evaluation (FAE) may be performed. The FAE assessment provides critical information regarding the worker’s present physical condition and functional abilities. This information may be used to identify safe, productive, and meaningful work for the employee.
The Bayshore Physical Therapy FAE incorporates a full physical therapy assessment of the worker’s present condition or injury and the objective measurement of physical capabilities. For ease of interpretation for the worker, employer and other practitioners, the clinical analysis and assessment results are summarized at the beginning of the FAE report. Raw data and analysis are provided within the text of the written report allowing for more thorough review if desired.
Work Conditioning / Simulation
When a clear discrepancy exists between a patient’s present physical and functional abilities and work related demands, work conditioning/simulation is an essential component of treatment. Work conditioning involves individualized treatment programs designed to increase the patient’s ability to perform work related tasks. Through the performance of progressively graded, real or simulated work activities improvements in biomechanical, neuromuscular, cardiovascular, and psychosocial functions are achieved. Programs usually incorporate strengthening and stretching exercises, aerobic conditioning, and education related to safe work practices, more productive work strategies, and pain management.
Job Coaching
During the initial stages of a return to work plan transference of pain management, biomechanics and safe work practices from the clinic to the job site may be facilitated through the introduction of job coaching. The process involves a member of the clinical rehabilitation team supervising the worker at the job site. This permits the coach to reinforce the strategies related to pain control/management, proper work techniques which were established during rehabilitation. It also ensures that the return to work recommendations or planning is followed accurately. The frequency and duration of the coaching sessions is established specific to each return to work plan.
To discuss our assessment and corporate services, call our team today.
