Objectively measuring and predicting a successful return to work

This presentation seeks to discuss how occupational therapists are objectively assessing their patient’s or client’s capacity to return to work, following injury of illness and to raise awareness of how outcomes of rehabilitation can be measured in terms of anticipated productivity at work once the client returns to work. The interface between employer and occupational health will be presented. The use of MODAPTS as a standardised tool will be presented and how it is necessary to be included in a job demands analysis and job site assessment. Case examples will be shared and application in expert witness work will be referred to.

MODAPTS (modular arrangement of pre-determined time standards):

A code by which any human action can be described and the time, to perform it determined. Developed by Chris Hyde, an Australian Industrial Engineer, MODAPTS is a pre-determined time standard used internationally by occupational therapists, industrial engineers, productivity experts to measure productivity and set time standards for tasks. Occupational Therapists can use this user friendly analytical “tool” to determine objectively, occupational performance during the rehabilitation process and advise on re-integration into work safely and productively.

• Awareness of time measurements and productivity analysis in occupational performance during vocational rehabilitation
• Awareness of MODAPTS and how it can be used in practice as a necessary tool to objectively predict return to work.
• How to quantify human movements within the job demands
• How to quantify the degree of occupational compromise for particular tasks for application in expert witness work