Imagine that Return to Work Technologies, Inc. has developed
a new scanning system to determine an injured workers return
to work/stay at work function. The premise of this new
technology is similar to the scanners at airports in which a
human walks into a scanner, raises their hands above their
head and the scanner detects a malicious object. In the same
manner, an injured employee steps into the scanner and it
determines if this injured employee is able to return/stay
at work or stay at work.
There are many new technologies at the disposal of private
practice physical therapists which can help to expedite the
return to work process, provide improved return to work
documentation, and online learning opportunities at the tips
of your fingers.
Return-to-Work/Stay-at Work Software (RTW/SAW)
There are a number of options on the open market in regards
to return-to-work software. These options include basic
Functional Capacity Evaluation software systems up to
comprehensive systems that outline a worker’s return to work
progress throughout the rehabilitation process.
Various RTW/SAW software systems range from computer,
server, and web based applications and all of have their
pros and cons. Traditional computer based applications offer
low level scalability to grow a RTW/SAW program at a
reasonable cost, have tedious upgrade options, and may be
difficult to test more than one person at a time. Server
based systems allow for improved scalability but may require
various user license based on the number of computers a
company wants to install the system on.
Web based RTW/SAW systems offer lower overhead for the
companies that offer these applications. Customers of these
systems have an easy time implementing at multiple locations
and on multiple computers since they only need to hook up to
the internet, therefore scalability is optimal for private
practices. They also tend to be the easiest applications for
software companies to update to the latest evidence based
testing. The speed of internet connections now allows for
fast navigation with a time of 2 seconds or less when
navigating from page to page on some of the latest
applications.
Functional Capacity Evaluation versus full return to work
system
The traditional approach to clinic based industrial
rehabilitation included performing Functional Capacity
Evaluations and end of treatment work hardening. Many
companies offering software for these services are now
offering software systems that test function throughout the
entire rehabilitation process. Clinics that specialize in
the treatment and rehabilitation of the injured worker have
realized that Functional Capacity Evaluations are no more
profitable than treating patients during the same 4 to 5
hours it takes to perform that FCE. Work
Hardening/conditioning programs continue to provide good
revenue/profit for clinics that have high quality programs.
Private practices have also realized that if you test
return-to-work function during the outpatient rehab process
you can easily increase patient referrals into your
hardening/conditioning programs.
If you are a private physical therapy practice that is only
documenting range of motion and muscle strength on your
worker’s compensation patients you are behind the times.
Physicians, case managers, insurance companies, claims
adjustors, and employers are starting to expect that your
documentation during outpatient rehabilitation outlines the
worker’s compensation patient’s return to work function.
The newer Return-to-Work software systems perform ongoing
return to work functional testing throughout the outpatient
process. The improved technology of various software systems
will allow you to perform a functional progress note in 15
to 30 minutes and show the return-to-work functional
improvement a client makes from initial evaluation or from a
previous note. This functional progress is specific to their
return to work function and may outline the percentage of
full duty work the client is able to perform while showing
an increase in this full duty percentage over time. (See
Figure1 and Figure 2)
Figure 1
Figure 2
Industrial Rehab RTW/SAW Continuing Education
There is a major challenge within the specialty of RTW/SAW
programming. Our medical schools do not teach us the
difference between getting a patient back to function versus
getting an injured worker back to function. The primary way
physical therapists learn to implement these programs is
through continuing education.
Functional Capacity Evaluation, Work Hardening, Post Offer
Employment Testing, On-Site Rehabilitation,
Office/Industrial/Healthcare Ergonomic and RTW/SAW
continuing education courses are now being offered as Live
Webcast courses. Physical Therapists from around the globe
can now take high level continuing education courses from
the comfort of their own computer. Courses range from basic
webinars to fully interactive live webcast courses in which
the attendees online can interact with the course
instructor, with each other, as well as with attendees
sitting in the course. New technology allows the attendees
to see the entire power point presentation and everything
the instructor writes on the white board right on their
computer. High definition steaming video of the course
instructor and various stations around the room allows for
live webcast attendees to see all hands on testing
procedures performed by the instructor and in room
attendees.
This live webcast technology has allowed full medical
practices to perform a full array of return-to-work
continuing education from the comfort of their own practice.
This technology provides the live webcast participant with
the exact same experience as a participant sitting in the
room with the instructor. To see this technology in action
feel free to type in the following internet link into your
browsers address bar.
https://occupro.webex.com/occupro/lsr.php?AT=pb&SP=TC&rID=23447507&act=pb&rKey=5ef55246ceb781b4
Technology within industrial rehab, functional capacity
evaluations, RTW/SAW and continuing education is evolving at
a fast pace! Private practice owners are looking to
implement industrial programming at a fraction of the cost
which can provide a quicker return on investment. Low
overhead, easy to implement web based industrial rehab
software applications with great scalability will help a
private practice grow these profitable programs quicker.
Software and continuing education technology helps private
practices implement a full menu of workers compensation
services including functional testing throughout the
rehabilitation process to help grow your worker’s
compensation/industrial rehab return-to-work specialty
practice.
Last revised: February 7, 2013
By Jim Mecham, MSIE, OTR/L,
CPE
