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’
Understanding the factors that influence return to work assists in effective rehabilitation.
Researchers sought to study what influences return-to-work and return-to-work effort sufficiency.
Researchers from Canada sought to summarise the research on interventions for depression in the workplace.
Researchers suggest shifting from a straightforward evaluation of capacity and duties to more personal factors such as the relationship between the employee and the employer.
Understanding the factors that influence return to work assists in effective rehabilitation.
A small but significant proportion of people with back pain go on to develop long-term problems.
Professional musicians have high rates of musculoskeletal pain, but few studies have analysed the risks of work activities or the psychosocial work environment.
Back problems are commonly attributed to work and many in the community believe that heavy lifting contributes to back problems.
A review of self medication in physicians and medical students
The costs of a major health problem in developed nations
French researchers find a simple way to measure stress
This study sought to understand whether patients with bipolar disorder admitted to hospital had a greater level of disability than those who had not been.
Disability is more likely if a patient worries about their illness.
Ergonomic keyboards can help reduce the effects of recurrent arm pain in office workers.
A randomized controlled trial from Sweden offers hope for chronic back pain sufferers.
Can employees' values improve their happiness, absence rates and health?
A Swedish study has shown that what doctors and employers will permit on medical certificates has changed over recent decades.
Canadian researchers have highlighted the lack of knowledge about the causes of abnormal and reduced sensations in the limbs of patients.
A study has shown promising signs of success for helping people with mental health issues join the workforce.
Injured workers may have a better RTW outcome if they undergo pain coping skills training before surgery.
Researchers have developed an effective treatment for the vexing condition of Fibromyalgia through a detailed and prolonged exercise regimen.
A survey of rehabilitation and return to work managers in Queensland has led to calls for greater professional development through mentoring and supervision.
A study has raised doubts about whether the new edition of the American Medical Association's guides for the evaluation of impairment are an improvement on existing practice.
A Dutch study has shown that adherence to guidelines by physicians can help lead to earlier return to work outcomes.
A new study highlights the mains causes for return to work delays after an injury on the road.
Researchers have found spinal manipulative therapy yields small improvements in chronic low back pain, but have questioned the practice's cost-effectiveness.
A Swedish study has highlighted the link between lacklustre organisational environments workplace and employee absenteeism.
New research shows patient anxiety and distress about a lower back complaint significantly reduces the chance of a successful return to work outcome.
A UK study has concluded that regular yoga can improve workplace wellbeing and reduce employee stress.
A Netherlands study has produced a simple, efficient means for assessing the probable duration of low back pain.
A major study from the Netherlands shows productivity can be improved by helping workers improve their lifestyles.
A University of Wollongong survey shows employees with access to flexible working hours are in better shape than those working to a rigid roster.
Poor management often leads to higher levels of employee stress and sickness.
Positive workplace environments are necessary for workplace health programs to be successful.
Another study confirms the link between poor workplace culture, poorly defined roles, emotionally demanding work and high rates of sick leave.
A Danish study debunks the myth that managers are often more stressed than employees.
A study has shown that the less senior managers are involved, generally, the more likely they are to over-rate their workplaces, safety and health when compared to industry standards.
Flexible sick-leave policies can reduce sickness absence.
The UK's treating practitioners say that work is beneficial, but how do they actually behave when making recommendations about back problems?
Do pre-employment medical examinations reduce sick leave? Are they value for money?
A European study of an integrated care program for workers with long term back problems shows a return of $26 for every $1 invested.
Danish researchers find that management approaches and levels of employee decision-making latitude exert considerable influence on sick leave. So who should you try and influence?
When dealing with complex or ambiguous medical problems, only half of treating practitioners come to the same conclusions about RTW.
Reducing repetitive work is not the only option to consider when attempting to accommodate arm pain in the workplace.
Who is more pessimistic about the impact of cancer on working life: cancer survivors or employers? How does this affect return to work prospects?
Early contact with injured workers is good for RTW, right? Well, that depends! It's not so much what you do as how you do it.
Different RTW players have different objectives. Research suggests that this knowledge can help you reduce paperwork. Whaaat? Read on!
Believing that you can cope with whatever life brings you has a positive impact on pain symptoms - and there are ways of assessing coping confidence at work.
Workers who have the option to work from home are 1.5 times less likely to take sick leave than those who must be in the office.
Individuals with disabilities are more likely to engage in risky health behaviours like smoking and drinking alcohol.
This study looks at the cost-effectiveness AND health effectiveness of lumbar supports for home care workers with recurrent low back pain.
Neck pain commonly follows a persistent or recurrent course. Between 60% to 80% of workers who advise a sore neck at some point report they have a sore neck a year later. Workers who exercise do...
A broad and comprehensive approach to exploring return to work issues is provided by the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF).
Who falls in the anti-collaboration chasm when doctors and insurers have different ideas about what 'work ability' involves?
Shoulder problems are common. Having a standard management system in place can streamline return to work.
Neck pain is a common condition in workers, and psychosocial factors influence outcomes.
A person's beliefs about back problems influence how they engage with treatment, so providing the right information is vital.
Researchers have developed a questionnaire to help identify when perceptions of injustice may be jeopardising RTW.
Collaboration between mental health and employment agencies assists return to work, but how do we foster collaboration?
Canadian researchers conclude that employees have the goods to make participatory ergonomics a success.
New research suggests that stress claims aren't as big a mystery as employers tend to think...
Disability prevention researchers benefit from collaboration and communication in an innovative Canadian program
Chronic pain is a notoriously obstinate barrier to RTW. Is Cognitive Behavioural Therapy the card we need to play?
Long term claimants commonly describe a system that is frustrating, does not consider their needs, and misses out on treating them as an individual.