Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-g8jcs Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-30T21:23:43.907Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Disability Management: A System of Response or a Response to a System?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 August 2015

Donal McAnaney*
Affiliation:
NUI Dublin (UCD), Ireland
Bev Webster
Affiliation:
Rehab Group, Ireland
Maria Lohan
Affiliation:
NUI Dublin (UCD), Ireland
Richard Wynne
Affiliation:
Worfe Research Centre (WRC), Ireland
*
REHAB Group, Beach Rd, Sandymount, Dublin 4, Ireland, email: [email protected]
Get access

Abstract

Adebate is emerging regarding the best way to ensure the timely and efficient return to work (RTW) of workers who have become long term absent (LTA) for health reasons. Elements of this debate center on the roles of the individual, the rehabilitation agent, the employing organisation and the rehabilitation and reintegration system. Recent years have seen the emergence of new approaches to managing LTA, mostly focusing on disability management and on amendments to welfare and rehabilitation systems. This paper discusses these trends in the light of a 6-year research programme carried out in Ireland, involving both national and transnational studies which have sought to identify the key elements of successful LTA policies and practices. It also reviews recent international work in the area in order to assess the relative importance of systemic, organisational and individual factors in ensuring timely and effective LTA policies and practices.

Type
Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2001

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Akabas, S., Gates, L., & Galvin, D., (1992). Disability Management: A complete system to reduce costs, increase productivity and ensure legal compliance. New York, Amacom.Google Scholar
Berkowitz, M. (1990). Should Rehabilitation be Mandatory in Workers Compensation Programs? Journal of Disability Policy Studies, 1 6380.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bloch, F. S., & Prins, R (2001). Who returns to work and why? A Six-country study on work incapacity and reintegration. Transaction Publishers, London.Google Scholar
Bruyere, S., & Shrey, D. (1991). Disability management in industry: A joint labor-management process, Rehabilitation Counselling Bulletin, 34(3) 2741.Google Scholar
BSRM (2000). Vocational rehabilitation the way forward: A working party report. British Society of Rehabilitation Medicine, The Royal College of Physicians, London.Google Scholar
Dozois, D. J. A., Dobson, K. S., Wong, M., Hughes, D., & Long., A. (1995). Factors associated with rehabilitation in patients with low back pain (LBP): Prediction of employment outcome at 9-moth follow up. Rehabilitation Psychology 40(4)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Galton, Y. (2000). Get back external evaluation — Final report. Rehab UK, London.Google Scholar
Heitzmann, A. (1989). Increasing productivity and decreasing insurance costs: Prevention and intervention plan development for employers, Journal of Applied Administration, 08 8184.Google Scholar
Indahl, A.Haldorsen, E. H., Holm, S., Reikeras, O., & Ursin, H. (1998). Five-year follow up study of a controlled clinical trial using light mobilization an informative approach to low back pain. SPINE 23(23), 26252630.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
ILO (1998). Vocational rehabilitation and employment of disabled persons. Pp. 7374 International Labour Conference 86th Session, Report III (Part B), Geneva, International Labour OrganisationGoogle Scholar
Kyle, K. (1998). From fragmentation to co-ordination — Person centred rehabilitation within an adversarial system. Rehab Network, 50 35.Google Scholar
Lesher, C. (1987). Rehabilitation Practice in Business and Industry, Rehabilitation Education, 1 119121.Google Scholar
Lohan, M. (2001). Return to work? European responses to long term absent employees. Paper presented at the 7th European Congress of Research in Rehabilitation, Madrid (04 1–6).Google Scholar
Loisel, P., Durand, .P., Abenheim, L., Gosselin, L., Simard, R., Turcotte, J., & Esdail, J.M. (1994). Management of occupational back pain: The Sherbrooke model. Result from a pilot and feasibility study. Occupational and Environmental Medicine 51(9) 597602.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
McAnaney, D. F. (1998). From fragmentation to co-ordination: cost effective rehabilitation. Journal of Personal Injury Litigation, 2 118127.Google Scholar
McAnaney, D. F. (2000). Current needs in work assessment and vocational rehabilitation. Paper presented at the Annual Winter Meeting of the British Society of Rehabilitation Medicine. Glasgow, 12.Google Scholar
Marnetoft, S., & Selander, J. (2000). Multidisciplinary vocational rehabilitation focusing on work training and case management for employed sick-listed people. International Journal of Rehabilitation Research, 23 217279.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
National Institute of Disability Management and Research (1997). Strategies for success: Disability management in the workplace. British Columbia: National Institute of Disability Management and Research.Google Scholar
National Institute of Disability Management and Research (1999). Development of occupational standards in disability management. British Columbia: National Institute of Disability Management & Research.Google Scholar
National Institute of Disability Management and Research (2000a). Worksite disability management audit. British Columbia: National Institute of Disability Management & Research.Google Scholar
National Institute of Disability Management and Research (2000b). National Awards of Excellence. British Columbia: National Institute of Disability Management and Research Ottawa, 09.Google Scholar
Pearson, S., Dickson, R., & Buckroyd, H. (1999). ‘Get Back’ a job retention service for employees with disabilities, injuries or health problems. Rehab Network, 55/56 1517.Google Scholar
Personal Communication: A comparison of Workers' Compensation Arrangements in Australian Jurisdictions (2001), Personal Communication, Dr. N. Buys, Head of School & Director, Centre for Human Services, Logan Campus, Griffith University and Dr D. McAnaney.Google Scholar
Pfingsten, M., Hildebrandt, J.Leibing, E., Franz, C., & Saur, P. (1997). Effectiveness of a multimodal treatment program for chronic low back pain. Pain 73, 7785CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act (1988).Google Scholar
Schwartz, G. (1984). Disability Costs: The Impending Crisis, Business & Health, 1 pp. 2528.Google Scholar
Scully, S.Habeck, R., & Leahy, M. (1999). Knowledge and skill areas associated with disability management practice for rehabilitation counsellors, Rehabilitation Counselling Bulletin, 43(1) 2029.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Shrey, D. (1995). Worksite disability management and industrial rehabilitation: An overview. In Shrey, D. & Lacerte, M., (Eds.), Principles and Practices of Disability Management in Industry (pp. 357). Florida: GR Press.Google Scholar
Shrey, D., & Hursch, N. (1999). Workplace disability management: International trends and perspectives, Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation, 9(1).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Shrey, D., & Lacerte, M. (1995). Principles and practices of Disability Management in industry. Orlando, Fl., GR Press.Google Scholar
Thornton, P. (1998). International research project on job retention and return to work strategies for disabled workers: Key issues. Geneva: International Labour Organisation.Google Scholar
Thornton, P., & Howard, M. (2000). Possible intervention for job retention. Proceedings of a seminar on Job Retention in the Context of Long-Term Illness, 03 200, Lewis, Janet (Ed.). DfEE Publications, Nottingham.Google Scholar
Thurgood, J. (1998). Developing instruments to support the process of vocational guidance for newly disabled employees (DIDE). Rehab Network, 89.Google Scholar
Treaty of Amsterdam (1997). Treaty of Amsterdam amending the Treaties establishing the European Communities and Certain Related Acts. Luxembourg: Office for the Official Publications of the European Communities.Google Scholar
UK Department of Education and Employment (2001). New deal for disabled people: Job retention and rehabilitation generic pilot. Bidding Pack and Guidance for ApplicantsGoogle Scholar
Veerman, T. J., & Palmer, E. (2001). Work resumption and the role of interventions. In Bloch, F. S. & Prins, R., (Eds.), Who returns to work and why? (pp. 223258). Transaction, London.Google Scholar
Webster, B. (2001). Differences in international approaches to disability management. Paper presented at the Disability Management Seminar of the European Platform for Vocational Rehabilitation. SRL Hoensbroek, Maastricht (03 25–26).Google Scholar
WorkCover Queensland Act, (1996).Google Scholar
Zimmerman, W. (1997). A Canadian perspective. In National Institute of Disability Management and Research, Strategies for Success (pp. 7488). British Columbia: National Institute of Disability and Research.Google Scholar