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| Issue No 38 |  |
05 November 1999 |
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Trades HallMary Yaager's Medicine for WorkCover
The medical costs in the workers compensation system have risen enormously and yet injured workers are staying off work longer and also taking longer to recover
In the past few years these costs have soured and the areas which have seen significant increases are in rehabilitation ,injury and investigative treatment The cost of rehab has gone from $10million to $50 million over the last few years. I recently invited Professor Nik Bogduk, from the University of Newcastle's Bone and Joint Institute and Professor Cousins from the Pain Management Research Centre, University of Sydney to address the Workers Advisory Council. These Doctors treat patients at the end of the line when everything has failed and they are on the scrap heap. According to Professor Nik Bogduk the reason for the blow out in these costs and the poor return to work and recovery rates of injured workers is due to the lack of control that the GP has in the process and the only way to overcome this problem is to empower the GPs. Nik stated that the scientific based evidence shows that confidence by doctors and patients improves recovery and reduces chronic problems and that doctors and patients are often afraid that back pain is a sign of serious disease however this is extremely rare Also bed rest is a real no no and that activity is the key -, workers need to go back to work as soon as possible. Nik said give the GPs the tools to better equip them to deal with work related issues and this will not only reduce costs but more importantly will get workers back to work. Nik said return to work is not only desirable but proven to be beneficial- keeping patients off work is deleterious. The provision of proper modified duties and dealing with patients fears such as going back to an unsafe work place is far more beneficial than ''restricted' or "light duties" which are usually bullshit . Nik says workers are afraid of the accident which caused the pain and often won't return to work for fear of it happening again. However, they will overcome this fear if they are reassured that measures have been taken to avoid such accidents. It is imperative to improve the workplace to make it safer and comfortable enabling and encouraging a prompt return to work Often the measures to modify the workplace are not great and of more significance maintains the dignity of the worker. Nik further stated the GP together with the patient and employer should be able to come to an agreement to provide a welcoming place at work while the patients recovers from any acute episode.
Nik said the latest research has shown by and large that specialist intervention may not be necessary a well trained GP can provide can provide most of the care that an injured worker needs. The Workers Compensation Advisory Council has asked Professors Bogduk, Harris and Cousins to assist them in developing a tool kit for GPs and it is expected that it will be rolled out in Feb 2000.
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