Doctor Proactive Communication, Return-to-Work Recommendation, and Duration of Disability After a Workers??? Compensation Low Back Injury

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Abstract
Althoughdoctors are increasingly evaluated on the basis of return-to-work (RTW)outcomes, the effect of doctor–patient communication about the workplaceand RTW after an occupational injury has received little research attention.The effect of patient-reported doctor communication on duration of disabilitywas examined retrospectively in a 3-year cohort of 325 claimants with alost-time low back injury. Although doctor proactive communication wasassociated with a greater likelihood of RTW during the acute phase (30 days of disability) only. Prospective studies are needed to confirmthis effect. The impact of physician communication on RTW is largelyconfounded by injury and workplacefactors.