This presentation discusses the importance of work in helping a person live a fully satisfying life. Following a workplace injury, the employer, physician, injured worker, work comp insurer, and other involved parties must work together as a team to promote safe and early return to work and prevent disability. The physician must aim to promote healing with minimal disruption of work and home activities, provide appropriate medical care, determine workability, and create a return-to-work plan. The employer must clearly communicate with the injured worker and physician, provide a supportive culture for return-to-work, maintain a safe workplace, and fulfill legal obligations within the workers’ compensation system. The Occupational Medicine Physician is uniquely qualified to promote early and safe return to work following a workplace injury. In the Minnesota Workers’ Compensation system, the injured worker has the right to choose where to seek healthcare except in certain circumstances, including participation in a workers’ compensation certified managed care plan or Union Construction Workers’ Compensation Program and for independent medical examinations.
