Standardized evaluation of work capacity

Abstract

A standardized method of evaluation of the work capacity of persons who are impaired by soft-tissue injuries is described. A demonstration project which involved testing 64 impaired subjects is described. The Cal-FCP test battery can be administered independently by a properly trained professional or by a technician under a physician's supervision and requires two hours or less to complete. This study demonstrated that the results of the test battery are unbiased in terms of both gender and age and can be applied to a standardized disability rating system.

Reliability and validity of Functional Capacity Evaluation methods: a systematic review with reference to Blankenship system, Ergos work simulator, Ergo-Kit and Isernhagen work system

“…Overall, five issues must be addressed in the selection and use of any functional test: safety, reliability, validity, practicality and utility (Hart et al 1993). This hierarchy requires that each of the factors must be addressed so that the factors which are presented earlier are maintained: demonstration of acceptable reliability is a precursor for demonstrating an instrument's validity (Matheson et al 1996(Matheson et al , 2002Portney and Watkins 2000). If an FCE measurement is not reliable, tests results are not consistent and it would be thus impossible to demonstrate its validity (King et al 1998).…”

“…To evaluate intrarater reliability, it is important to choose an optimal time interval between test and retest. This last one must not be too short, to avoid fatigue, memory or learning effects, and not too long, to avoid genuine changes in performance (Carmines and Zeller 1979;Matheson et al 1996). In any event, examining critically the time interval used between test and retest in three of these four studies, it should be concluded that no study used a proper and optimal procedure to evaluate the intrarater reliability.…”

Het nut van Functionele Capaciteit Evaluatie: de visie van experts

“…Of een test of onderzoek nuttig is, hangt af van de vraag of de resultaten ervan te gebruiken zijn bij de geplande interventie. 6 In het begrip nut zijn drie dimensies te onderscheiden: nut op een individueel vlak, 7 op het vlak van de organisatie 8 en op het vlak van het instrument zelf. 9 Dit laatste slaat dan op de klinimetrische eigenschappen van een instrument, die de laatste jaren steeds meer worden onderzocht.…”

The utility of Functional Capacity Evaluation: the opinion of physicians and other experts in the field of return to work and disability claims

“…According to Matheson et al (1996) utility refers, besides other aspects, to the suitability of the evaluation for the intended purpose, the extent to which it meets the needs of the client and the referrer. The utility of tests and assessments is determined by the extent to which the results facilitate planned interventions (Telzrow and McNamara 2001).…”