INTRODUCTION: Healthcare providers play important roles in the process of making return-to-work (RTW) recommendations, which have important consequences for injured workers and their employers. We studied the inter-rater reliability of RTW determinations between clinicians in a specific workers' compensation setting. METHODS: Three case scenarios were given to clinicians working at one rehabilitation facility to examine consistency between clinicians in RTW recommendations. Additionally, we examined what information clinicians relied on to make decisions. Analysis included percentage agreement and other descriptive statistics. RESULTS: Thirty-six clinicians (13 physiotherapists, 10 occupational therapists, 8 exercise therapists, and 5 physicians) responded to the questionnaire. Subjects showed a high percentage agreement regarding RTW readiness on fracture and dislocation scenarios (97.2 and 94.4%, respectively), while agreement on a back pain scenario was modest (55.6%). In all cases, more than 50% of clinicians relied on biomedical information, such as physical examination. CONCLUSIONS: Clinicians demonstrated a high level of agreement (>94%) when making RTW recommendations for injuries with clear pathology. However, a lower level of agreement (56%) was observed for back pain where the etiology of pain and disability is often more complex. Clinicians most commonly recommended RTW with restrictions, underlining the importance of workplace accommodations and modified duties in facilitating resumption of work.
INTRODUCTION: Healthcare providers play important roles in the process of making return-to-work (RTW) recommendations, which have important consequences for injured workers and their employers. We studied the inter-rater reliability of RTW determinations between clinicians in a specific workers' compensation setting. METHODS: Three case scenarios were given to clinicians working at one rehabilitation facility to examine consistency between clinicians in RTW recommendations. Additionally, we examined what information clinicians relied on to make decisions. Analysis included percentage agreement and other descriptive statistics. RESULTS: Thirty-six clinicians (13 physiotherapists, 10 occupational therapists, 8 exercise therapists, and 5 physicians) responded to the questionnaire. Subjects showed a high percentage agreement regarding RTW readiness on fracture and dislocation scenarios (97.2 and 94.4%, respectively), while agreement on a back pain scenario was modest (55.6%). In all cases, more than 50% of clinicians relied on biomedical information, such as physical examination. CONCLUSIONS: Clinicians demonstrated a high level of agreement (>94%) when making RTW recommendations for injuries with clear pathology. However, a lower level of agreement (56%) was observed for back pain where the etiology of pain and disability is often more complex. Clinicians most commonly recommended RTW with restrictions, underlining the importance of workplace accommodations and modified duties in facilitating resumption of work.
Authors: Ruud M A Houben; Raymond W J G Ostelo; Johan W S Vlaeyen; Pieter M J C Wolters; Madelon Peters; Suzanne G M Stomp-van den Berg Journal: Eur J Pain Date: 2005-04 Impact factor: 3.931
Authors: Amanda E Young; Richard T Roessler; Radoslaw Wasiak; Kathryn M McPherson; Mireille N M van Poppel; J R Anema Journal: J Occup Rehabil Date: 2005-12
Authors: Wesley R Collinge; Douglas P Gross; Geoff P Bostick; Greg S Cutforth; Geert M Rutten; Claude Maroun; Rob A B Oostendorp Journal: Physiother Can Date: 2013 Impact factor: 1.037
Authors: Monica Bachmann; Wout de Boer; Stefan Schandelmaier; Andrea Leibold; Renato Marelli; Joerg Jeger; Ulrike Hoffmann-Richter; Ralph Mager; Heinz Schaad; Thomas Zumbrunn; Nicole Vogel; Oskar Bänziger; Jason W Busse; Katrin Fischer; Regina Kunz Journal: BMC Psychiatry Date: 2016-07-29 Impact factor: 3.630
Authors: Jürgen Barth; Wout E L de Boer; Jason W Busse; Jan L Hoving; Sarah Kedzia; Rachel Couban; Katrin Fischer; David Y von Allmen; Jerry Spanjer; Regina Kunz Journal: BMJ Date: 2017-01-25