A Guide to using RTWMatters.org

Content on the site can be found by

   1. Reviewing the Topics page

   2. Using the search facility

   3. Browsing the material in the content sections:

      Articles / Research / Features / Links / Tools / Handbook / Events / Jobs

Topics

Every article and research summary is tagged with one or more topics.   Go to the Topics page to see the list , and click on your subject of interest to see all of the content on that topic.

When you are reading an  article you will  see a list of other articles on that topic in a column to the left or right.  For example, if you are reading an article tagged under Workplace Culture, you will see a list of the other articles tagged with Workplace Culture.

Content in the Links section are not tagged with topics, so if you want to see all Workplace Culture material make sure you checkout the Links section for external links to sites with useful material.

Using the search facility

Another way to find stuff  is by using the search function located at the top right corner of the home page and all other pages. This searches the entire text of all content in the site. 

Using the search facility produces a list of all articles that match your keyword.

Browse material by content type

ARTICLES:

Written by  the RTW team, our original articles cover issues that directly or indirectly impact return to work.  They are grouped under  categories (see below).    These original articles are supplemented by News;  links to relevant material from other publications.

Categories of articles written by the RTWMatters team:

RTW care:  

Articles  on issues that directly relate to case management and return to work.  Including articles on the RTW coordinator, ways of dealing with RTW, specific RTW situations, psychosocial factors including motivation, medical issues (treater issues are under ‘providers”), stress and the consequences of being off work.

Influences: 

Articles  on issues that impact RTW through systems.  This section relates more to the organizational level approach, such as workplace culture, health and productivity, wage level and reimbursement, organisational leadership, training of staff and company systems.

Partners: 

Articles  on external providers involved in return to work care, including rehabilitation providers, treating practitioners,  insurers,  claims managers, agents, educators, people involved with the system, researchers and research organisations, and writers (us).

Politics:

Articles on policy issues and policy makers that have shaped systems, including advocacy, governments, authorities, legislators, policy reviews, and systems in various countries.

Cases: 

Articles written by the RTWMatters team that focus on individual case studies, including employee and workplace case studies

News:

Newshound searches global publications to bring you pertinent information on RTW from all corners of the globe.

 

FEATURES:

RTWMatters contributes to the field through analysis and commentary from people experienced in the field.  In the features section you’ll find opinion articles and journalistic content on RTW statistics, system issues and what’s happening in the industry. 

Lite relief:

Working in return to work can be demanding.  We reckon you deserve a laugh, so we’ve added this section to put a smile on your face.  Enjoy your day and your job and your outcomes will probably improve.  Well, at least your job satisfaction will.
 

RESEARCH:

A wealth of research on return to work has been done over the last twenty years.  Yet it is hard to access, difficult to read, and time consuming to understand.  In the Research section we  summarise and simplify relevant research. 

Research summaries are listed under categories.  RTW Management / The Workplace / Medical Issues / People Issues / System Issues.

It can sometimes be difficult for us to decide on the appropriate category for some research articles. Some include information relevant to a number of categories.  So look under the Topic section if you don’t find what you are looking for.

Where available, a link to PubMed and the article’s abstract has been included at the end of each research summary.    From there you can find a link to the journal publisher, to purchase a copy of the original research if you wish.

Research has been chosen for relevance, breadth of interest, and for the provision of practical information.  Suggest an article or area if we haven’t covered a topic of interest to you.

HANDBOOK:

The handbook is our ‘how to’ guide of return to work management.

The handbook has been written by the RTWMatters team and is aimed at the breadth of experience of different RTW coordinators.  From those starting out, to those with a moderate level of experience, to those who have worked in the area for decades and are still looking to improve their outcomes.

The handbook is divided into five main sections:

RTW Management:

Case management strategies follow the life of a case, from the first five minutes to dealing with complex cases.  This section deals with early intervention, communication approaches, overcoming barriers, identifying duties, and the importance of helping the person get back to their normal job.  This section also covers confidentiality issues, disputing a case, and examples of various case care.

Workplace Systems:

Whilst individual case management is important, the culture and systems at a workplace have a more significant impact on outcomes.  Putting effective systems in place takes time, but as the saying goes “a stitch in time…..”

To be effective in implementing workplace systems, coordinators need conviction.  Conviction that systems are important, that getting the culture right unpins good outcomes, and conviction that looking after the employee will look after their organisation.    That conviction allows them to influence employees, unions, supervisors, senior managers etc.

The Workplace Systems section of the handbook examines any workplace approach that has been shown to reduce work disability.  Direct areas such as policies and procedures or a team approach are complemented by others that have an indirect, but still tangible benefit on return to work.  Health and productivity initiatives, workplace culture, and participatory ergonomics are examples.

LINKS:

We’ve searched the web for links that enrich, explain or augment our content on return to work.  You might find a patient handout on back pain, an article on goal setting, or an information package about good ergonomics in the office environment.

Material and links are grouped under  major headings, RTW Management / The Workplace / Medical Issues / People Issues / System Issues / Professional Development.

TOOLS:

We have developed a range of generic material that can streamline your return to work management.  Letters to doctors, presentations to management, a checklist for high risk cases, can be downloaded, adapted and used freely.

EVENTS:

Meetings, conferences, and training opportunities are submitted to the site via a link on the events page by event organizers.  The RTWMatters team add to the list.  All events can be viewed by clicking on “Events” in the menu bar, or viewed by the meeting type by clicking on the drop down list.

JOBS:

Keep your eye on employment opportunities in the industry or advertise your position vacant for free in our job section.  We search the web for you to provide a comprehensive list of jobs in the industry, all in the one place. Job adverts are also sent out in our weekly newsletter.