Articles

This page lists all practical and feature articles available on RTWMatters. From top ten tips, how to guides and case studies, through to webinar recordings and video interviews with industry experts.

Click the ‘Topics’ button below to drill down into all articles and research updates on your topic of interest.

Click the ‘Quick Guides’ button for practical bit sized guides that give you a sound basic knowledge base.

Costs of 'job strain' related depression

contributorGabrielle Lis

What is job strain? How is it linked to depression? And what are the associated costs? New...

Price for patients of no-cost compensation

contributorDr Mary Wyatt

Should workers' comp recipients share treatment costs with their employers?

The opiate trap

contributorDr Mary Wyatt

The use of opiates in chronic pain cases should be carefully monitored. Patients need a high...

The OT way

contributorGabrielle Lis

What do gardening, work and dancing have in common? According to Occupational Therapist Sven...

Patient advocacy and workers' comp

contributorGabrielle Lis

Workers' comp cases present GPs and other health professionals with opportunities for meaningful...

Moving backwards on backs

contributorDr Mary Wyatt

The messages of a $6 million public health campaign about back pain are being lost thanks to...

Suicide and work injury

contributorTom Barton

New Australian research shows that workers with psychological injuries are not the only ones who...

HR and RTW

contributorMary Harris

HR and RTW are together as often as peas and carrots. Is it a match made in heaven or an...

Driving change

contributorTom Barton

How one car manufacturer steered their ageing workforce towards higher productivity

What's the go with Rehab in the US?

contributorDr Mary Wyatt

Our first ever multimedia feature! An interview with Mary Harris, US disability management...

Stress and emotional resilience

contributorGabrielle Lis and Tom Barton

Ever wondered what RTW and sabre-toothed tigers have in common? Or why some people bounce back...

A challenge to policy makers

contributorDr Mary Wyatt

How much do we know about how different workers' comp systems influence health outcomes? And...

Takeover opportunity

contributorShannon McLaughlin

What RTW and OHS challenges and opportunities can you expect when your company takes over...

Toxic Doctors

contributorDr Mary Wyatt

What do you do with a toxic doctor?

How trustworthy is trust?

contributorRTWMatters team

Trust is a key predictor of organisational success, says the Great Places to Work Institute....

Who's the boss?

contributorGabrielle Lis

The health and wellbeing of people with chronic illness improves when they become...

Jokes, bullying and RTW

contributorLara Forth

Lara felt bullied by her case manager and colleagues when she returned to work - even when they...

Missing the signs

contributorGabrielle Lis

Organisations who offer "good work" have fewer stress and musculoskeletal claims. Managerial...

What you can't see...

contributorLara Forth

...CAN hurt you. Having an internal injury that nobody sees can make rehabilitation far more...

Philosopher King

contributorGabrielle Lis

An Italian entrepreneur has turned the Umbrian village of Solomeo into both a fashion factory,...

Learning from the Vet

contributorDr Mary Wyatt

Getting in touch with connectedness

The broad reach of suicide

contributorTom Barton

The burden of suicide in Australia is comparable with other major, better understood chronic...

Preventing further harm to the harmed

contributorGabrielle Lis and Dr Mary Wyatt

Etymology - the archaeology of words - sometimes uncovers a contemporary resonance in ancient digs.

Judging the judges

contributorSuperDoc

SuperDoc reminisces about his time in the Courts and asks whether judges see the broader...

Back to the past

contributorDr Mary Wyatt

Back pain flare-ups are a normal part of recovery.

Why bother with workplace wellness?

contributorGarbielle Lis and Tom Barton

1. Return on investment; 2. Health and productivity for ageing workers...

SPICE up your injury management

contributorDr Mary Wyatt and Tom Barton

The SPICE treatment method is simple and proven since WWI.

Saying no to compensation

contributorLara Forth

Lara (not her real name) recovers from brain trauma but eventually quits her job and abandons...

Health and wellbeing in the real world

contributorGabrielle Lis

Trouble convincing your organisation to invest in workplace health and wellbeing? Try these...

When doctor-dollars trump sense

contributorGabrielle Lis

Does Australia have anything to learn from an American expose of the influence drug companies...

Flagging the obstacle course of bad outcomes

contributorDr Mary Wyatt

From the hot tubs of New Zealand to the bread and butter of a RTW Coordinator's work.

Does RTW Coordinator training fit the bill?

contributorGabrielle Lis

Do Australian training courses provide RTW Coordinators with the skills they need?

RTW Coordinating in a nut-shell

contributorJulia Suban

Ever get looked at like YOU'RE a nut when you try and explain what you do? Here's a...

Position Vacant - RTW Coordinator

contributorJulia Suban

What AM I worth? And how does this compare to what prospective employers THINK I'm worth?

Are worker's comp boards serving return to work?

contributorTom Barton

And can you pick the Australian jurisdiction in which board members have NO hands-on experience...

Harmonisation housekeeping

contributorDr Mary Wyatt

Our advice for legislators? Don't rearrange the lounge suite while there is mildew growing up...

We need an Industry Association, how about it?

contributorDr Mary Wyatt

Let's get better organised - our response to a reader's request.