A Physician's Guide To Return To Work

Finally a guide book to help primary care physicians and care providers navigate return-to-work issues. This needed reference is written from the healthcare provider's point of view combining the science with the art of medicine. A Physician's Guide to Return to Work teaches physicians and health care providers how to think through the issues of "risk", "capacity" and "tolerance" when negotiating return-to-work and stay-at-work issues with patients. Highlights of this resource include: A concise compilation of current data The most common questions faced by physicians, insurers, attorneys, employers and workers' compensation managers and answered based on the most current science available Written by practicing physicians and legal experts who regularly face return-to-work issues Delves into the practical aspects of evidence-based medicine, causation analysis, functional capacity evaluations and the legal aspects of return-to-work decision making Ways primary care physicians can help patients negotiate return-to-work decisions Discusses the implications of medication, driving and work The health consequences of unemployment Step-by-step information about specific body systems Specific examples and case studies Tables and charts from the most current edition of The Medical Disability Advisor

Table of Contents:

Chapter 1. Why Staying at Work or Returning to Work Is in the Patient's Best Interest 
Chapter 2. How to Think About Work Ability and Work Restrictions: Risk, Capacity, and Tolerance 
Chapter 3. How to Negotiate Return to Work 
Chapter 4. Return to Work: Forms, Records, and Disclaimers 
Chapter 5. Evidence-based Medicine
Chapter 6. Causation Analysis 
Chapter 7. Functional Capacity Evaluation: Is It Helpful? 
Chapter 8. The Medical and Legal Aspects of Return-to-Work Decision Making 
Chapter 9. Can This Patient Work? A Disability Perspective 
Chapter 10. Medications, Driving, and Work 

Chapter 11. How the Primary Care Physician Can Help Patients Negotiate the Return-to-Work
Chapter 12. Working With Common Spine Problems 
Chapter 13. Working With Common Upper Extremity Problems 
Chapter 14. Working With Common Lower Extremity Problems
Chapter 15. Working With Common Cardiopulmonary Problems 
Chapter 16. Working With Common Neurologic Problems 
Chapter 17. Working With Common Rheumatologic Disorders 
Chapter 18. Working With Common Psychiatric Problems 
Chapter 19. Working With Common Functional Syndromes: Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome 
Chapter 20. The Social Security Administration Disability System