Dr Mary Wyatt
Self effacing, warm, always positive Mary Wyatt is a consummate professional dedicated to return to work.
Email: marywyatt@rtwmatters.org
Biography
Self effacing, warm, always positive Mary Wyatt is a consummate professional dedicated to return to work.
She graduated from Monash University Medicine with Honours winning the Carnation Award for Paediatrics in 1979.
For the following six years she enjoyed postings in a variety of exotic locations. Beginning with Darwin then Abu Dhabi, UAE and KwaZulu. Mary still has a preference for hot weather, very hot weather.
Returning to Australia to General Practice in 1986 Mary undertook further study gaining a Graduate Diploma in Occupational Health in 1995 and a Masters in Public Health in 1998, followed by a Graduate Certificate in Musculoskeletal Medicine in 2002. She became an Occupational Physician in 1997.
In the area of return to work Mary has worn many hats: treater physician, assessing physician, reviewing workplaces for return to work, conciliator in dispute resolution, and as a manager involved with the development of effective return to work systems.
She teaches at Monash and was a member of the Victorian WorkCover Advisory Committee from 1993 to 1998, serving on a number of sub committees primarily concerned with the development of back pain guidelines for Victoria and the world leading public back campaign.
In 2001 Mary won the Volvo Award for Best Clinical Research Paper in back pain. Recognised nationally and internationally for her work, Mary's friendship is prized for her wonderfully warm and supportive personality.
Her dedication to making a difference in peoples' lives led to Mary and others to establish OccCorp in 2001. There she managed a team of 25 case managers to coordinate return to work across a range of industries and company sizes.
Returning to private practice in 2005 Mary founded and remains Chair of The Foundation for Research into Injury and Illness in the Workplace (ResWorks) a non profit organisation, which developed the Return To Work Knowledge Base, and led to the development of Return To Work Matters as an online network and resource for Return To Work Professionals which she edits.
Mary chairs the Australasian Faculty of Occupational and Environmental Medicine Policy Committee and is a member of the College of Physicians Policy and Advocacy Committee.
All this while bringing up a family and dealing with a husband who would rather be fishing. Mary's is the mind that directs the support services, resources and research material on the Matters site, while ensuring that the highest ethical standards are maintained.
Articles by ‘Dr Mary Wyatt’
Dr Wyatt discusses the lessons for employers from Return to Work Survey findings
Our best content is now easier to navigate. Keep an eye out for new research and resources that will make a practical difference in RTW, coming soon.
Dr Mary Wyatt explores the role of the IME in assessing work capacity for injured or ill employees.
This webinar explores evidence on how supervisors and coworkers can influence RTW, and how to get them involved productively
Michael was a 48-year-old machine operator. He had been at the workplace for nine months. During his probation period he worked well, but once permanent he missed considerable time from work with...
Mr L, a tall, solid-framed, right-handed 58 year old man, reported pain in his right elbow. While improvement was reported over six months, he began to notice similar symptoms at his left elbow.
This case study looks at the additional injuries which can occur as a result of the workplace injury.
Joe, a 45-year-old storeman, fractured his left thumb in an injury mowing his lawn at home. A thumb fracture can take months to heal.
This case study explores the importance of providing options for the injured worker's return to work.
This webinar presentation with PIEF discusses the impact of training supervisors on return to work outcomes.
Competencies supervisors need to affect positive RTW outcomes for workers suffering musculoskeletal conditions and mental health conditions.
A cost analysis of workplace culture and its impact on return to work
Understanding the difficulties everyone faces with musculoskeletal problems can help you help workers
Evidence shows that picking up the phone improves RTW outcomes
Telephonic methods can be used to assess the clinical and work participation needs of people with common health problems.
For many injured workers, the greatest challenge is not the extent of their injuries but the depth of their despair.
A research based look at the evidence on work contribution to knee osteoarthritis
Flow charts detailing shoulder pain treatment
Information on knee cartilage disorders, their treatments and a case study.
The elements of quality case management that achieved impressive results.
Does neck pain and its consequences change over time?
Dr Mary Wyatt shares her experience as both clinician AND neck ache sufferer and concludes that self-management beats the medical route.
A closer look at one type of neck pain.
Epidemiological studies show that whiplash rates vary enormously between jurisdictions. Why?
Picking up a long-term case for the first time can seem daunting. Here are a series of steps to help you structure your approach.
Picking up a long-term case for the first time can seem daunting. Here are a series of steps to help you structure your approach.
Musculoskeletal disorders are a leading cause of compensated injury, but what exactly are they?
How do you deal with musculoskeletal disorders in the workplace?
What is a good workplace culture? What effect does workplace culture have on injury and return to work? ...What even is workplace culture?
How to deal with those cases that don't fit the usual template, and how to get those employees back to work.
Depression can be an underappreciated yet significant condition in the workplace. Knowing how to recognise and deal with it can therefore be beneficial to both a worker's health and the...
How to go about bringing an employee back into their job fast and effectively.
This course covers the importance of health promotion and its effects on productivity, in the context of implementing a health and wellbeing plan in the workplace.
Effective communication is a vital skill in general, but comes into play especially when dealing with injured employees taking time off work. Knowing how to talk and actively listen can...
This article outlines how to set up a program to deal with workplace disability, and the responsibilities of each member of the organisation in achieving quick and effective return to work.
Reviewing the benefits of an efficient work disability policy and different injury reporting systems. Further, how costs of injury claims should/are managed, and how to detect trends in cost...
Ergonomics in the workplace and its involvement with workplace injury
Standing workstations can create problems. We look at how you can minimise these issues and provide a better workplace.
Seated workstations are not complicated to set up well. We cover the basics so you can help others avoid problems.
This introduction to ergonomics introduces the basic principles of ergonomics and why you'd want to address it at the workplace.
Combining ergonomics WITH participation opens up a treasure load of possible solutions.
Job design includes the physical layout, AND how jobs fit the person's psyche. Deadlines, flexible work practices, control, and workplace culture need to be addressed to prevent and manage...
Successful surgery starts with the best decision about whether surgery should be performed.
When one part of the system underperforms, the others follow suit.
Interview with Garry Pearce, Director of Rehabilitation for the Tasmanian Department of Health.
Disc bulge, disc degeneration, disc protrusion. Terms that worry patients, most of the time unnecessarily.
What works and what does not work in the decision making process.
A good decision making process is worth its weight in platinum
How you cannot afford to get it wrong, and how you can get it right.
A Powerpoint presentation on the whys and wherefores of supervisor training in RTW management.
Shoulder problems are the second most common work-related musculoskeletal problem. Here's an overview of rotator cuff conditions, the most common cause of shoulder problems.
Want to boost productivity, improve job satisfaction and reduce the incidence of musculoskeletal injuries?
Back pain accounts for a large proportion of injury claims, and a higher proportion of long term disability. Medical issues are important, but how the workplace deals with the employee has a...
Should workers' comp recipients share treatment costs with their employers?
The messages of a $6 million public health campaign about back pain are being lost thanks to good intentions and a lack of consistency.
Our first ever multimedia feature! An interview with Mary Harris, US disability management professional, exploring the three key challenges facing RTW in the US.
How much do we know about how different workers' comp systems influence health outcomes? And what could we do with this information?
Getting the information you need to facilitate RTW shouldn't be as painful as pulling teeth - you just need to ask the right questions...
Ten tips to loosen your tongue and ease your mind when that big presentation looms.
From the hot tubs of New Zealand to the bread and butter of a RTW Coordinator's work.
RTW Coordinators who manage time well do better. What are the secrets to good time management?
In response to a reader's questions, our resident Occ Phys explains how to encourage a proactive approach to return to work.
Despite growing perceptions that workplace activities cause and complicate injuries, the evidence suggests the opposite.
Let's get better organised - our response to a reader's request.
Our advice for legislators? Don't rearrange the lounge suite while there is mildew growing up the walls.
And can the UK show us how it's done?
In response to a member's question, we find that the early bird gets results.
It's time to question whether some workers should be spared the compensation process.
Knowing when injury reports should be made and how they should be dealt with can reduce the pain and strain of the process...
Figuring out whether you're a team player or a solo flier, a nurturer or a strategist can make your job a whole lot easier...
You can't afford hit and miss. What works, what doesn't and how can you market tried and true solutions to your employees?
Spine surgeons who've had spinal surgery provide the know-how for this briefing paper on recovery and RTW.
Ever wondered why some musculoskeletal injuries don't resolve as quickly as they should?
Understanding how 'the system' can trip up the people it is supposed to help is the first thread in a safety net.
Arranging resources helps to achieve long-term workplace objectives. Here's how to make injury management planning work.
There's more than meets the eye when it comes to patients at risk of poor return to work results.
RTW coordinators make a huge difference, but how do we find, develop and promote the right people for the job.
There is a correlation between compensation and poorer surgical outcomes. What can be done?
The principles underlying successful RTW are universal, but we think their application differs depending on the part you play.
How patients communicate has an important influence on the treatment they receive.
How do doctors assess a person's ability to work?
Let's put some evidence behind sick certificates