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The need for change: addressing psychosocial barriers in workers’ compensation
Workers’ compensation schemes often focus primarily on the physical injury, overlooking the psychosocial factors that impact recovery. Research shows that psychosocial barriers—such as distress, workplace conflict, and poor self-efficacy—are among the leading contributors to prolonged disability and delayed return to work (RTW).

Traditional injury management approaches fail to identify and intervene early in these cases, leading to higher costs, longer claims duration, and poorer health outcomes.

An approach to address these barriers: early systematic psychosocial matched care
Psychosocial matched care is a structured approach that ensures interventions are tailored to individual workers based on their specific risk factors. Instead of a one-size-fits-all model, it systematically identifies workers at elevated psychosocial risk and delivers targeted counselling, workplace adjustments, and medical coordination to improve outcomes.

The 3-step system: How it works
This guide details a structured 3-step system:

1.Screening (triage): Identifies workers at elevated risk of prolonged recovery using validated screening tools.

2.Psychosocial assessment: Conducts a deeper evaluation of the worker’s barriers to recovery (e.g., coping strategies, workplace support, distress levels).

3.Matched care interventions: Implements tailored strategies, including psychosocial counselling, workplace support, and healthcare coordination.

Benefits of implementing this approach
Successfully implemented psychosocial matched care systems lead to:

•Faster RTW times (reducing claim durations by 30-50%).

•Lower claim costs due to reduced medical and wage replacement expenses.

•Improved worker satisfaction and mental well-being.

•Better coordination between insurers, employers, and healthcare providers.

Implementation and challenges
While the benefits are clear, implementation requires investment in training, system integration, and stakeholder collaboration. Common challenges include resistance to change, aligning KPIs, and ensuring fidelity to the model. This guide provides practical strategies for overcoming these barriers.