Worker's Comp - Return to Work Programs

Functional Capacity Evaluations (FCE)

• Evaluation identifies limitations and objectively documents an injured worker's ability to perform job-related tasks. The FCE is performed by an experienced licensed physical or occupational therapist following a standardized protocol which emphasizes patient safety and test validity.

Work Hardening and Conditioning

• Work Conditioning: The therapist and patient develop a circuit-training program to re-condition the patient after a period of being out of work. These sessions usually last two hours per day for three to five days per week.
• Work Hardening: This is a more structured, goal-oriented program designed to maximize the patient's ability to return to a specific job. Work Hardening transitions the patient from the "patient role" to the "worker role", using circuit training and job simulations. Patients work in the therapy gym for four hours per day, typically 5 days per week for 2 to 4 weeks.

Job Site Analysis

• The therapist quantifies the physical characteristics of the individual's job environment. The therapist will obtain the job description of the individual's job and coordinate with the employer to come to the job site and perform the job site evaluation.

Ergonomic Services

• These are contracted services for prevention of Cumulative Trauma Disorders (CTD)
• Therapist consults to assist in-house Ergonomic Program Development to include training in
  • Risk Factors
  • Controls
  • Employee Conditioning Programs
  • Early recognition and treatment of CTD
  • Train the Trainer
• Therapist conducts a Work site Analysis and provides a written report as requested
  • Document Analysis
  • Surveys to identify Ergonomic Hazards
  • Ergonomic Evaluation to Identify Risk Factors
  • Identification of Controls to Reduce Risk Factors to Acceptable levels
• Therapist performs an Individual Ergonomic Assessment and provides a written report as requested