[MCOH-EH] Return to Work

Sampson, Deborah Deborah.Sampson at snhhs.org
Wed Jan 13 13:42:54 PST 2016
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Julie,

This is fairly close to our experience and legal findings.

As with many things, what appears to be a simple issue- why not just put everyone back to work in a position or with accommodations- is actually quite complex and may vary state to state. As others have pointed out, what is legal in my state is very different from California- I actually have facilities in 2 states with very different workers' comp laws so that adds to the complexity of our policy development. Further, we can't always allow an employee with workplace injury back to work if there is no position that the employee can perform within the restrictions.

Nonetheless, a quick sketch of the issues/rationale for the policy to honor restrictions for worker's comp are below (not meant to be exhaustive):
1) There are limited positions for people who require accommodations so not all WC or personal illness could have a position that works.
2) Keeping WC employees working actually works out better for the employees financially, socially, physically and gets them back to full work faster
3) An employee with a personal illness or injury returning even in a limited capacity, who then gets further hurt at work is a worrisome situation. 
4) Because personal health data is protected, as the provider in EHS, I rarely have the full picture of the employee's personal illness or injury that allows me to make an informed decision for a work assignment or restrictions. 

Hope this helps clarify some questions

Deb Sampson
Deborah A. Sampson, PhD, APRN, COHN-S, FAANP
Director 
Employee Health and Wellness Services
Southern New Hampshire Health   P.O.Box 2014   8 Prospect Street   Nashua, NH 03060
p(603) 281-8583  f (603) 577-5665
deborah.sampson at snhhealth.org


-----Original Message-----
From: MCOH-EH [mailto:mcoh-eh-bounces at mylist.net] On Behalf Of Miehe, Julie
Sent: Wednesday, January 13, 2016 3:53 PM
To: mcoh-eh at mylist.net
Subject: [MCOH-EH] Return to Work

We do this regularly, but have found that our State Workers Compensation Act has protected us in the difference. We have also been challenged in court by not allowing others to work and have been supported by court with what is considered usual and customary treatment of all non-work related injuries in our facility. Is it a double standard--probably but is laid out in our Employee Handbook.
Julie Miehe
Julie Miehe BSN, COHN-S, CM
Employee Health/Workers Compensation
St. Mary's Hospital
700 S Park St
Madison, WI 53715
(608)258-6974


-----Original Message-----
From: MCOH-EH [mailto:mcoh-eh-bounces at mylist.net] On Behalf Of mcoh-eh-request at mylist.net
Sent: Wednesday, January 13, 2016 2:00 PM
To: mcoh-eh at mylist.net
Subject: MCOH-EH Digest, Vol 251, Issue 2

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Today's Topics:

   1. Re:  Return to Work (Karl Auerbach)


----------------------------------------------------------------------

Message: 1
Date: Tue, 12 Jan 2016 19:33:49 -0500
From: Karl Auerbach <kauerbach at aol.com>
To: MCOH/EH <mcoh-eh at mylist.net>
Subject: Re: [MCOH-EH] Return to Work
Message-ID: <D2BB053A.8CA82%kauerbach at aol.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

I?ve often wondered if there was risk in ?work(ing) very hard to find appropriate positions within limitations? for workers comp injury and not
allowing individuals with a personal injury to return.   Seems like a double
standard that might be open to challenge by someone who wants to return with
limitations.   ADA aside, why?



From:  MCOH-EH <mcoh-eh-bounces+kauerbach=aol.com at mylist.net> on behalf of "Fowler, Randy" <randall.fowler at portmed.org>
Reply-To:  MCOH/EH <mcoh-eh at mylist.net>
Date:  Tuesday, January 12, 2016 at 16:32
To:  'MCOH/EH' <mcoh-eh at mylist.net>
Subject:  Re: [MCOH-EH] Return to Work

Thanks Deborah!


From: MCOH-EH [mailto:mcoh-eh-bounces at mylist.net] On Behalf Of Sampson, Deborah
Sent: Tuesday, January 12, 2016 1:08 PM
To: MCOH/EH
Cc: Corrington, Jodie; Black, Patti
Subject: Re: [MCOH-EH] Return to Work

We allow RTW for worker?s comp of all employees and work very hard to find appropriate positions within limitations. Many times RNs can do projects for QA, case managers, DNV or JCAHO (and even in Employee Health) that require their professional knowledge. We absolutely do everything we can to return someone to some sort of work as fast as possible.

We do not allow anyone with a personal injury or illness to return until cleared for full duty without restrictions and have a hospital policy for that purpose.  Even when the employee is cleared by a personal provider, the employee must bring a note to that effect from the provider and be cleared by us at EHS based on the employee?s job description.

Deborah A. Sampson, PhD, APRN, COHN-S, FAANP Director Employee Health and Wellness Services
Southern New Hampshire Health   P.O.Box 2014   8 Prospect Street   Nashua,
NH 03060
p(603) 281-8583  f (603) 577-5665
deborah.sampson at snhhealth.org





From: MCOH-EH [mailto:mcoh-eh-bounces at mylist.net] On Behalf Of Fowler, Randy
Sent: Tuesday, January 12, 2016 1:24 PM
To: 'mcoh-eh at mylist.net'
Cc: Corrington, Jodie; Black, Patti
Subject: [MCOH-EH] Return to Work

We have a hospital policy that states an RN on modified duty cannot return to his/her unit until he/she is released to Full Duty and has passed a Lift
Test.   I am interested in #1 whether other health care systems have
experience with allowing those injured nurses to be able to return to their own units as long as they are able to work within their accommodations and
#2 do other healthcare systems utilize a Lift Test or other functional job evaluation before allowing the injured employee back to Full Duty?

Thanks, I have enjoyed following the interchange of information on this Occ Med network.

Randall S. Fowler, MD
Medical Director
Portneuf Medical Center
Employee Health & WorkMed
500 S. 11th  Suite 500
Pocatello, Idaho 83201
208-239-1940 clinic / 208-239-4506 fax
Randall.Fowler at portmed.org


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