A collaborative early intervention model using community physiotherapists to support early, safe return to work for healthcare workers.

Workplace injuries can result in substantial financial loses to employers through disability insurance premiums, worker's compensation premiums and worker replacement costs. The implementation and integration of workplace injury prevention programs, supportive recovery resources, and early and safe return to work for injured and disabled workers are essential components of workplace disability management practices. Access to supportive resources such as physiotherapy in conjunction with modified work or transitional duties programs has shown to be effective in facilitating return to work for temporarily and permanently disabled worker ...This thesis examines the PEARS Plus program, a hybrid of an existing model which uses physiotherapy services, to assist in achieving positive return to work outcomes. PEARS Plus encompasses many of the principles and features of its on-site predecessor, PEARS, however it accesses community physiotherapy groups to provide physiotherapy services through a formalized relationship between the employer, the physiotherapy providers and the insurer, WorkSafeBC. Although this concept of Disability Management is not new, the practice of collaborating amongst all stake holders early within the claims process is. Furthermore, the use of allied healthcare professionals that do not co-exist with the workplace and act as a supportive resource during the early stages of the claim has been minimally researched and the effectiveness of this intervention in collaboration with the employer and insurer is somewhat unknown. --P.ii.