Outcomes Research
Treatment Outcomes Comparison of two 12 month Periods
Comparisons of treatment outcome data from 2009 and 2010 were analyzed to examine any significant changes from year to year. The following results were noted regarding treatment length:
- Mean Treatment length of Advanced Physical Therapy
5.5 weeks in 2009 (n= 314)
5.8 weeks in 2010 (n= 276)
- Mean Treatment length of Return to Work Program
4.3 weeks in 2009 (n= 314)
3.9 weeks in 2010 (n= 276)
- Mean Treatment Progression in Physical Demand Level (10-20 pounds of functional strength)
2.1 Physical Demand Level Increase in 2009 (n= 314)
2.2 Physical Demand Level Increase in 2010 (n= 276)
At WCS, the treatment of the injured worker has remained consistent in providing time efficient and affective services when comparing outcomes from 2009 and 2010. Combining the data from 2009 and 2010, the percentage of patients who demonstrated the ability to meet normal job demands during treatment was 66% (n= 590). It should be noted that “meeting normal job demands” was defined as achieving the physical demand level as defined by the U.S. Department of Labor equivalent to an individual’s occupation. The required physical demand level for an individual’s job was obtained through an official job analysis / description or patient subjective reports. A useful job description (containing objective information for force production / repetition count or distance) was available for only 23% of individuals treated (n= 590).
Education
WCS routinely holds Continuing Education Seminars for all types of audiences, including case managers, insurance companies, and employers. These seminars cover the latest Workers Compensation Issues and feature Physicians, Attorneys and Health Care Professionals who specialize in the management and treatment of individuals with Worker’s Compensation Claims. WCS can bring these seminars directly to your office or you can attend WCS’s quarterly seminars held in the Chicago Area. Listed below is a short list of these seminars. Please check the upcoming events page for more information on future CEU Courses. For more information please email rtownsend@wcsrehab.com or call toll free at (877) 694-8040. 1. Return to Work Program: An Athletic Based Model
a. How do you differentiate between a progressive return to work program and routine work conditioning? This course discusses the methodology of returning injured employees to work in the most efficient and cost effective manner.
2. Functional Capacity Evaluations
a. From Isernhagen to Matheson to Hart, their are several different FCE protocols. What do you look for in an FCE? How do you read an FCE? When is an FCE appropriate? This seminar examines several different FCE methodologies and research findings. Most importantly, this seminar discusses the cost effectiveness and return to work implications of various FCE’s.
3. Treatment of the Industrial’s Athletes: (Each region is considered one seminar)
a. Cervical Spine
b. Lumbar Spine
c. Shoulder
d. Hip
e. SI Joint
f. Knee
g. Ankle
h. This seminar reviews the anatomy, mechanisms of injury, methodology of treatment, progression, and return to work time lines for the aforementioned body regions. It also reviews appropriate treatment progression so the attendee understands the return to work time tables.