Articles

Understanding and influencing treaters

Medical professionals are the gatekeepers of workers' compensation and RTW, but their motivations, priorities, capacities and limitations are often poorly understood by other stakeholders. The resources in this section will help you build collaborative relationships with treaters, optimising RTW and recovery for injured workers.

Rest and activity avoidance is often not the best medicine.

contributorAnna Kelsey-Sugg

A young, fit worker develops back pain, is advised to rest and cut back activities. Three months...

Fact sheet: Medical certification in Australia

contributorGabrielle Lis

Sickness certificates can be dangerous. Proceed with caution!

Quick Guide: Self efficacy

contributorGabrielle Lis

Not every injured or ill worker has the "I think I can" attitude of the Little Engine That...

Are workplace activities harmful?

contributorDr Mary Wyatt

Despite growing perceptions that workplace activities cause and complicate injuries, the...

Separating stress and chronic pain

contributorTom Barton

Stress makes chronic pain worse, and worsens RTW outcomes. Here are 10 ideas to help alleviate...

The patient's mouth

contributorDr Mary Wyatt

Getting the information you need to facilitate RTW shouldn't be as painful as pulling teeth -...

Mind power

contributorGabrielle Lis

Psychologist Colin Thompson introduces us to Mindfulness Therapy, which has been shown to assist...

The costs of cancer

contributorTom Barton

Cancer is the most widespread chronic disease in Australia. We look at 10 tips for supporting...

Tests vs. Symptoms - which wins?

contributorDr Mary Wyatt

Is it useful to know the pathology of a wrinkle?

Patient styles, distress, and what they get

contributorDr Mary Wyatt

How patients communicate has an important influence on the treatment they receive.

Are Docs Asking the Right Questions?

contributorDr Mary Wyatt

To treat the patient we need to know the patient

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...

The opiate trap

contributorDr Mary Wyatt

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

Decisions about surgery: The rock and the hard place

contributorDr Mary Wyatt

Successful surgery starts with the best decision about whether surgery should be performed.

Guidelines on shoulder rotator cuff problems

contributorDr Mary Wyatt

Flow charts detailing shoulder pain treatment

Dealing with the victim mentality

contributorDr Mary Wyatt

In response to a reader's questions, our resident Occ Phys explains how to encourage a proactive...

Patient advocacy and workers' comp

contributorGabrielle Lis

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

Recorded webinar: Helping a discouraged employee

contributorGraeme Cowan

This webinar looks at ways that everyone can make a positive contribution towards improving the...

Webinar Recording: Living in parallel universes.

contributorDr Darren Beales

Physiotherapists and claims manager's beliefs about treatment for injured workers.

Webinar Recording: The nuts and bolts of work oriented treatment

contributorDr Chris Stevens

Gain an understanding of the practical aspects of Work Oriented Treatment for workers...

Prehabilitation: improving the results of surgery

contributorA. Richey

Prehabilitation is an approach to aid people recover from surgery and increase the likelihood of...

Are physios fit for RTW?

contributorPaul Coburn and the RTWMatters team

The answer is a resounding yes from experienced physiotherapist Paul Coburn, who shares his...

New insurer approach reduces delays in decisions about healthcare

contributorDr Mary Wyatt

Delays and disputes are stressful and can have a negative impact on recovery and return to work....

The terrible two: UNDER-use and OVER-care

contributorDr Mary Wyatt

Ever wondered why some musculoskeletal injuries don't resolve as quickly as they should?

Compensation: More painful than surgery?

contributorDr Mary Wyatt

There is a correlation between compensation and poorer surgical outcomes. What can be done?

How do doctors assess a person's ability to work?

contributorDr Mary Wyatt

Medical assessments of work capacity are not always defined by what a worker is capable of....

Webinar Recording: Optimising outcomes for workers with back pain through enhanced self-management and collaboration

contributorDr Jon Ford

Listen to musculoskeletal physiotherapist, Dr. Jon Ford, talk about how practitioners can help...

Self-Management: training the treaters

contributorA. Richey

Self-management is a vital part of recovery from illness, but how can treaters be trained to...