FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT WORKSITE THERAPY
Question:
How is Transitional Work Therapy Different from Modified Duty or Light Duty?
Question:
I would like to offer therapy at the worksite. Do I have to supply a special or private room to provide for therapy?
Question:
My employee travels to multiple job locations and is under different circumstances on a daily basis (i.e. construction, landscaping, road crew). How can I assist this mobile employee?
How is Transitional Work Therapy Different from Modified Duty or Light Duty?
Answer: Transitional Work Therapy uses real work tasks that are productive for the employer and within the injured workers current functional capabilities.
The injured worker is evaluated at the job site by a physical or occupational therapist and recommendations are given to the treating physician, Managed Care Organization and employer for appropriate return to work services.
The injured worker is progressed using time and task oriented job duties in combination with any other beneficial therapeutic intervention, to include stretching, strengthening exercises or modalities, i.e. ice, heat, mobilization.
The treating therapist has regular contact with human resources, safety director and supervisors to discuss the injured workers progress, job duties, and any other issues that relate to returning to full duty.
The more accommodating the employer is, the earlier an injured worker can be brought back to the work-site thus reducing the costs of the claim.
I would like to offer therapy at the worksite. Do I have to supply a special or private room to provide for therapy?
Answer: As an employer you can offer an office, conference room or break room to the injured worker if modalities and exercises are part of the therapy treatment plan. Minimal space and time are needed to provide on-site therapy. If there is absolutely no space available the injured employee can receive treatment in a clinic but his/her restricted work tasks should still be monitored by a physical or occupational therapist at the worksite. The therapists can modify the tasks he/she is able to perform to match the injury and ensure the employee is safely progressing to his full-duty job during the recovery process.
My employee travels to multiple job locations and is under different circumstances on a daily basis (i.e. construction, landscaping, road crew). How can I assist this mobile employee?
Answer: The Workers Choice Health Services Inc. therapy team provides services statewide and can travel from place to place to assist that injured employee. Since the injured employee cannot be monitored by the employer at all times these are the types of injured employees that often benefit most from a therapist at the worksite. The therapist helps to modify each job site to ensure the employee is healing and staying within restrictions provided by the Physician of Record.
