What We Do: Projects
How has return to work been defined in the literature? A systematic review.
This is a CREIDO funded pilot project. We have searched the published literature using the following keywords: return to work, absenteeism, sick leave and sick listed to collate all of the definitions of return to work that have been used. A preliminary analysis has found that return to work has been defined in rather vague terms such as yes or no or time to return to work. In other studies return to work definition is more descriptive such as first day returned to modified work, or returned to work full time, full duties for at least 30 days.
Contact eboyle@uhnresearch.ca for more information
Assessing Return-to-Work Status Questionnaires in an Occupational Rehabilitation Population
This is a WSIB RAC funded project. Our intention is determine if the return-to-work survey which was created by CREIDO is able to measure the outcome of return-to-work in a clinical population. The survey will be administered prior to the start of treatment, after being discharged from treatment and three months after discharge to the patients in a clinical population. We will be comparing what they reported against their WSIB payments.
Contact eboyle@uhnresearch.ca for more information
What workplace characteristics have an impact on injured worker’s return to work? A qualitative study
This is a WSIB Bridging the Gap funded project. We conducted discussion groups with injured nurses, nursing managers, return-to-work coordinators, occupational health nurses, Ontario Nursing Association representatives, WSIB ergonomists and WSIB mediators. The purpose of the study was to identify organizational challenges and facilitators which may have an impact on returning an injured nurse back to work. We found that communication between the various stakeholders involved was a key factor. We were able to identify a list of solutions which could help improve communication such as, posting the work limitations of the injured nurse on the ward which will help ensure he/she is assigned the appropriate work load. We are in the process of disseminating the results to the stakeholders involved with the project.
Contact eboyle@uhnresearch.ca for more information
What does return to work mean? Viewpoints from different perspectives
This is a CREIDO funded pilot project. The purpose of this study is to collect opinions from various stakeholders what does return to work mean to them. We have conducted two discussion groups and will be completing additional discussion groups during the all. Preliminary data is showing that stakeholders do have different viewpoints depending upon their perspective. For example, an injured worker who returned to work but is unable to do one aspect of his/her former job may feel that he/she has not truly returned to work. The worker was given a different job title and a reduction in pay because of the inability to perform one of job-related tasks. The employer may state the worker has returned to work, but the compensation board is still paying for part of the salary and thus the worker has not returned to work.
Contact eboyle@uhnresearch.ca for more information
Economic workplace perspectives associated with a return-to-work program
This project, funded by the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB), is examining the costs of return to work programs from the employer’s perspective. Although the WSIB covers most costs related to workplace injuries, there are also economic costs and consequences for employers. CREIDO scientists are compiling these costs by meeting various employers to discuss their return-to-work programs and their costs. The final product will be a tool that researchers and employers can use to track those costs.
Contact dcassidy@uhnresearch.ca for more information
Return to work and sustained employment after a motor vehicle collision: a population-based inception cohort study
This project, funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, is examining how various patterns of injury resulting from a motor vehicle collision occur and influence return to work outcomes (return to work and sustained employment). The findings will be important to primary care health workers by helping them to understand which patterns of injury indicate the greatest risk for not returning to work and if there are any modifiable factors which may be able to influence return to work and sustained employment.
Contact vicki.kristman@uhnresearch.ca for more information
Workplace social capital and work-related injury: is there an association?
The goal of this project is to determine if relationships at the workplace are associated with work-related repetitive strain injury or work-related serious injury. This study is a cross-sectional analysis of the 2005 Canadian Community Health Survey. Employers will be interested in understanding how the workplace relationship environment impacts on the health of the workplace.
Contact vicki.kristman@uhnresearch.ca for more information
Supervisors’ perspective on accommodating injured workers: a cross-sectional study
This project is a collaborative effort between CREIDO and the Liberty Mutual Research Institute for Safety. The purpose is to identify and understand what factors supervisors consider when they are trying to accommodate an injured worker. These findings will help us to develop interventions tailored specifically to supervisors.
Contact vicki.kristman@uhnresearch.ca for more information
Patterns of injury after work-related motor vehicle collision
This project is a collaborative effort between CREIDO and the Kingston Region Injury Surveillance Program from Queen’s University. The goal is to determine if there are demographic, injury, or collision differences between patients who present in emergency rooms following work-related motor vehicle collisions and patients who present in emergency rooms following non-work related motor vehicle collisions. This information will be useful to compensations systems, such as the WSIB, to help them determine if research on a non-work related population is relevant to the working population.
Contact vicki.kristman@uhnresearch.ca for more information
Provider-Employer Communication Enhancement Project
This project is funded via a CREIDO pilot project grant. This research will look at barriers and facilitators to communication among health care providers (chiropractors and physiotherapists) and employers. Evidence suggests that this communication is important for RTW but we really do not know how it should be performed effectively.
Contact Fergal O'Hagan for more information
The process of becoming a transdisciplinary rehabilitation team: A pilot study
This project, funded by the CREIDO pilot project, seeks to understand how the only WSIB-funded functional restoration program in Ontario clinicians work together for patient care and return to work. Our findings will shed light on the impact of teamwork on the health and well-being of injured workers.
Contact ssoklari@uhnresearch.ca for more information
The family physician’s level of engagement with the process of assessing disability for determining a patient’s functional abilities and return to work (RTW) after a MSK injury
This project, funded by the CREIDO pilot project, seeks to explore the challenges family physicians face when asked to assess a patient’s functional ability and ability to return to work. The findings are an important piece of the RTW puzzle as we plan to produce a detailed account of their experiences and what parts of the disability assessment process they would like to share with other professionals.
Contact ssoklari@uhnresearch.ca for more information
Involving stakeholders in the planning of a workplace intervention to improve return-to-work: putting what we know into action using an intervention mapping approach
This project was funded through a WSIB grant and the purpose is to get feedback from stakeholders on effective ways to coordinate RTW. RTW coordination is thought to be useful in assisting RTW however it has never been adequately defined in the literature. The feedback from stakeholders was used to develop a comprehensive RTW program focused at the workplace. Effective evidence-based RTW programs tailored to the Ontario setting are expected to help facilitate early and safe RTW. Our first paper describing this work has recently been published.
Contact info@creido.ca for more information