Returning to daily work and life activities can actually help an injured worker’s recovery and reduce the chance of long- term disability. In fact, worldwide research shows that the longer you are off work due to injury or illness, the less likely it is that you will return to work.

Source: http://www.wsib.on.ca

Challenge

Bringing employees back to work after an accident or illness can be time-consuming, expensive and frustrating for an employer. And, the information they need is often not readily available so that they can make the right decisions.

Frequently the Doctor / patient relationship excludes the employer. And in many cases, Doctors are reluctant to challenge the wishes of the employee. As a result, Doctors often do not provide the employer with enough information to effectively design modified duties. Without a good understanding of the physical requirements of each job function it is difficult for the employer to propose modified duties that will get the employee back to work.

Also without the right information it is difficult to know how long someone should be off work or on modified duties. It is important to assess if the injury or illness is truly the result of an incident or condition at the workplace.

In summary, the challenge is to have the right information so as an employer you can make the right decision.

Solution

The solution is to have objective information from professionals that can assist you in returning people to work efficiently and effectively.

By conducting a Physical Demands Analysis for each job function, it allows the capabilities of the employee to be accurately matched with the demands of the job. It will enable the employer to determine the ability of an individual to perform specific functions. PDAs should be kept current. FWP will prompt you to review your PDAs on an ongoing basis.

The Independent Medical Evaluations provide:

• Truly independent assessment of the medical issues
• Accurate diagnosis and prognosis
• Time-line for return to full function
• Detailed recovery plan (with time-lines)
• Potential causes or pre-existing conditions
• Specific instructions for modified duties
• Answers to specific questions

Also available are Job Shadowing and Work Hardening programs that will assist employees with the transition to full functionality.

Focus Workplace Ltd. can:

• Arrange priority appointments and medical procedures
• Ensure confidential and secure storage of sensitive medical information.
• Provide expert advice and testimony should it be necessary.
• Give counsel on Ergonomic solutions that are designed to minimize adverse impact on employees.

Role of Focus Workplace

As an occupational health services provider, Focus Workplace Ltd. provides access to the medical community. Working within the guidelines of privacy and confidentiality legislation, we provide information to employers to assist them with making appropriate decisions regarding individual cases.

Contact Us

Anne Graham, Health Services Coordinator
Phone: 519 896-3330
Email: agraham@focusworkplace.com

Our Related Services

Health Specialists Physical Demands Analysis Independent Medical Evaluations Job Shadowing Work Hardening Ergonomic Assessments Records Custodial Management