Occupational Rehabilitation and Return to Work Services
Altaira is a Rehabilitation Treatment Provider.
Altaira physiotherapists have an intricate knowledge of the treatment and management of work-related injuries, and the functional demands required for various different occupations. As such, we can offer a specific and targeted treatment and rehabilitation service for employers and be engaged as a preferred treatment provider for their injured workers.
Specifically Tailored to Working Individuals
Under the local Return to Work SA scheme, injured workers are able to choose their own preferred provider for medical, allied health, and other treatment services. However, many injured workers may have never had to utilise physiotherapy previously. By engaging Altaira’s physiotherapists, you can offer them a treatment service that is specifically tailored to the functional demands of their job role to promote a quicker return to work, that is also safe and sustainable.
- Identification of modified/suitable duties
- Formulating graduated remain at work and return to work schedules
- Promoting an early return to work with recover at work principles
- Forming collaborative treatment goals with the injured worker
- Reports and communication with management and/or return to work coordinators
External Return to Work Coordinator
Our Principal Physiotherapist and Allied Health Operations Manager, Michael Zoumaras, has an extensive background in occupational rehabilitation as a treating physiotherapist and rehabilitation case manager, as well as specific occupational assessments such as Pre-Employment Functional, Fit For Work, and Functional Capacity Evaluation assessments.
This experience has equipped him with the knowledge and nous to function as Altaira’s dedicated Return to Work Coordinator. This role involves Michael assisting with management of worker’s compensation claims for injured employees, specifically promoting worker safety and an early, safe, and sustainable return to work.
Employers with over 30 employees are bound by South Australian state based legislation to have a dedicated Return to Work Coordinator. However, what not a lot of organisations realise is that this role can be outsourced to an external provider. By engaging Altaira as your external Return to Work Coordinator, you can derive the following benefits:
- Have a trained physiotherapist with detailed knowledge of the Return to Work SA scheme and national based Comcare scheme as your dedicated return to work specialist
- Formulating graduated remain at work and return to work schedules to help promote early recovery and decrease loss time injuries, thereby reducing costly insurance premiums
- Promoting an early return to work with recover at work principles
- Forming collaborative treatment goals with the injured worker, and assisting to identify any industrial issues which may be negatively impacting upon return to work
Functional Capacity Evaluation / Fitness for Duties Assessment
These assessments can be utilised for return to work services where employees have had long term injuries requiring substantial time off work; when there is uncertainty that an employee will recover sufficiently enough to return to their pre-injury role; and to potentially help match an employee with alternate vocational options. These assessments compare and contrast an employee’s functional capacity to the functional demands required for the job to ensure they are fit to return to work.
An Altaira physiotherapist will conduct a thorough subjective examination with an employee to gain an insight into their injury diagnosis, past injuries, current treatment, prognosis, and functional requirements of their pre-injury role. This subjective examination will then be used to guide the objective and functional examination to determine the employee’s suitability to return to work.
From this assessment, a comprehensive report will be written up for the employer’s perusal to help determine whether the employee will be considered for a return to work. Recommendations will potentially be made for a return to work, including proposals for graduated return to work schedules where applicable, and the application of a relative risk rating.
