Everyone seems to agree - return to work outcomes are better when doctors communicate well.

In reality, people complain of the difficulty in getting doctors involved in the return to work process and calls are often left unreturned. Surveys of doctors have found that they find it difficult to assess an injured worker’s capacity to deal with return to work issues. Doctors are even avoiding the problem altogether and opting out of dealing with work injuries.

How can an employer get a doctor to become involved in the return to work process and be an active participant?

A study on disability management explored a particular strategy to improve communication, by designing a form that enabled doctors to communicate with their workplace-injured patients. It was found that people were more likely to return to work and were back at work earlier through this facilitation of dialogue.

Why don't doctors seem to communicate more regularly at the workplace?

• Lack of available time in a busy practitioner's day
• Lack of understanding about the importance of return to work as central to a patient’s health
• Lack of awareness about the importance of communication in return to work
• Not knowing who to contact at the workplace, or being unable to reach the relevant supervisor while the patient is present
• Confusion about patient confidentiality when dealing with supervisors
• Perception that the patient doesn't want them to contact the workplace
• The misconception that they cannot influence the patient’s return to work outcome
• Not being paid for extra work involved.

Some employer approaches at the workplace can help deal with these barriers:

•  A simple letter to the doctor, introducing the contact person at the workplace with the contact person's mobile phone number
• Paying the practitioners for their time - it’s cheaper in the long run
• Asking the worker to let their doctor know that the workplace is keen to discuss duties, in person or over the phone
• Suggesting that the doctor sees the worker for a longer consultation and organising a time to make contact with the workplace while the patient is present
• Letting the doctor know that the only issues to be discussed are non-confidential in nature, such as the worker’s restrictions, work capacity and duties
• Providing the doctor with a meaningful assessment of any return to work duties that can be sensibly understood. Including pictures can improve a doctor's understanding of the duties.

The best way to approach the doctor is through their patient. If the patient wants to come back to work, the doctor will typically follow suit. A strong relationship between the employee and employer will typically be reflected in the relationship between the employer and the doctor.

If we really think that involving doctors, and for that matter other stakeholders, makes a difference, then spending time and energy to set up good systems and good relationships will pay off in the long term. It may take some thinking outside the square, but making good endeavours to involve the doctor will benefit employee, employer, and workplace relations and productivity on the whole.

In a survey of employers in the United Kingdom, 85% said doctors weren’t doing enough to help the injured employee return to work. Conversely, 84% of surveyed doctors revealed that they thought employers weren’t doing enough to help people get back to work.

It’s easy to blame the other party. Getting all the players in the return to work process working together is a challenge, but a challenge worth overcoming.