The concept of work ability is not clearly defined although it has a central place in vocational rehabilitation. Several health professions are involved in assessing work ability, physicians and occupational therapists are two of these.
OBJECTIVE:The purpose of this study was to explore occupational therapist and physician views about work ability and experiences in assessing work ability. PARTICIPANTS: Fourteen physicians and 23 occupational therapists participated in seven focus group discussions that were audio taped and transcribed verbatim. METHODS: Qualitative content analysis was used. Each author performed an individual preliminary analysis. These analyses were later discussed and refined in the research team and a workshop. The final categorization resulted in one theme, four categories and 13 sub-categories.
RESULTS:The overall theme expressed work ability as an obscure, complex and unique concept. The four categories illustrate the affecting factors and confirm the complex structure of work ability: the person, the context of life, the work, and the society. Physicians expressed greater difficulty in assessing work ability than occupational therapists did, because they have fewer instruments to access this concept. CONCLUSIONS: Assessment of work ability requires team cooperation with several different professionals. Cooperation could increase accuracy in issuing sickness certification and strengthens the ability of identifying individual requirements for rehabilitation.
A stroke coordinator may remediate the stakeholders' divergent perspectives. The coordinator should be versed in stroke specific knowledge and in a person centered approach to inform the decision process regarding RTW, while finding optimal solutions within regulatory boundary conditions. A coordinator could increase collaboration of the various stakeholders, provide support and coordinate services for the client with stroke and the employer throughout the whole process facilitating RTW after stroke. Future studies are needed to confirm this proposal.
BACKGROUND: The ReWork-Stroke program was developed to meet the need for a person-centered rehabilitation program addressing return to work after stroke and was provided by occupational therapists (OTs). OBJECTIVE: To gain knowledge on the implementation process of the ReWork-Stroke program, the mechanisms of impact, and the contextual factors that might have affected the process. METHODS: A case study design was used. Data were collected by interviews with two ReWork-Stroke providers and their logbooks of 13 clients. Content analysis was applied. RESULTS: The ReWork-Stroke program varied in duration (12–48 weeks) and was largely implemented according to plan regarding components and how they were provided. It was mostly delivered at the workplace. Mechanisms of impact were building alliances with clients, providing intervention at the workplace, informing about stroke, assigning co-workers as tutors for clients, and collaboration between stakeholders. CONCLUSIONS: The ReWork-Stroke program can be implemented according to plan and is a flexible person-centered program in which stakeholders, coordinated by an OT, plan and take actions, mostly at the workplace, for the client’s return to work. A key factor was recognizing the current work ability after stroke. Further program development includes a more structured evaluation and technical solutions for supporting stakeholders.
Healthcare professionals can facilitate sick-listed persons' rehabilitation back to work by providing a clear structure in the process and support in occupational balance. The healthcare encounters must build on a mutual trust.
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