Occupational Medicine Flashcards
Medical care and compensation for injuries and diseases which occur as a result of employment
occupational health
Branch of medicine concerning the maintenance of health in the workplace, including prevention and treatment of diseases and injuries
Occupational medicine
Name some participants of occupational health
employees
employers
medical providers
case managers
vocational consultants
insurance companies
governmental agencies
What does the present day “no fault” system mean?
employers must provide workers’ compensation
-medical care
-indemnity- loss of earning power
In the state of colorado is there a cap on wages for compensation and settlements for employers?
yes
Since the early 1990s claim frequency of work related injuries have ____.
declined
Why have the frequency of work related injuries decline?
improvement in work conditions
aging workforce
competitive labor markets
technology
indirect impacts of OSHA
Is colorado a designated state and what does that mean?
employer must design 4 medical providers employee chooses one and can change in the first 90 days
colorado is a designated state
required by employers to cary
covers employees injured in the workplace
workers’ compensation
with workers compensation insurance must the provider assume responsibility for return to work status
and must accommodate injured worker while under care
yes
What is the workers compensation patient pathway? 6
- worker injured while performing job duties
- reports injury to supervisor
- worker referred to a healthcare provider
- occupational medicine physician/nurse or ER refers for treatment
- possibility of additional medical evaluation or subacute physical therapy
- discharge or case closure
treatment for a work- related condition is covered when: 3 things
- work exposure causes a new condition
- work experience causes the activation of a previously asymptomatic or latent medical condition
- work exposure combines with accelerates or aggravates a preexisiting condition
Is it medically probable that the patient would need the treatment if the work exposure had not taken place. If yes then what.
not work related
What form must be completed during a WC case
WC 196- form to report a PT/OT subjective and objective findings to the referring physician
must include one of the approved outcome measures
sent to the wc physician before or at the patients follow up appointment
An acute therapy intervention session will include what interventions
early exercise
manual techniques
modalities
education
-postural education
-integrate exercises into work
-body mechanics
0-33% of the time
1-100 repetitions
occasional
34-66% of the time
100-500 reps
frequent
67-100% of the time
500+ reps
constant
True or false
the longer it takes a person to return to work the less likely he/she ever will
true
What are the two outcomes for patients in WC
- recover and returns to work full duty with no restrictions
- signs and symptoms plateau
-intensive subacute intermediate care
Restores physical capacity and functions
-intensive work related goal oriented program designed to restore muscle strength ROM CV endurance
work conditioning
comprehensive multidisciplinary program performed in real work environments
goal oriented designed to return the patient/client to work
work hardening
When the underlying condition causing disability has become stable and nothing further in the way of treatment will improve the condition
maximum medical improvement
What does the Americans with disabilities act state?
requires employers to provide positions for those with temporary impairment/disability
unless there is undue burden that cannot be reasonably accommodated
explain what is involved in a wellness/fitness program
nutrition exercise
smoking cessations
What can PTs help with for work station ergonomics
determine risk factors/hazards
identify needed changes- work station equipment and education
What is involved in a job site analyses
shadowing observing capturing quantitative data about the essential functions of a job
basic duties that an employee must be able to perform and performed by all workers who hold the job
essential function
objective assessment to evaluate a candidates ability to perform the essential functions of a job
pre-employment screen
what are the benefits of an older worker
file fewer WC claims
more experienced
low turnover
have fewer absences, punctual
What is the leading cause of non-fatal work related injuries with the highest average # of days away from work
falls slips and trips
What are the challenges of having an older worker?
indemnity costs are higher
medical severity increases with age
cases take longer to close
more complex treatment with each session
Workers with a higher BMI have a higher rate of WC claims true/false
true
a comprehensive performance based medical assessment of an individual’s physical and or cognitive abilities to safely participate in work and other major life activities
functional capacity evaluation
What 3 applications utilize functional capacity evaluations?
- job specific
- medical legal
- disability
why might you defer and complete a submaximal effort?
fear of pain
desire to have the evaluator appreciate the persons level of perceived dysfunction
habitual display of reduced abilities related to ones chronic pain cycle
