title: Employer, physical therapist, and employee outcomes in the management of work-related upper extremity disorders.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship among employer, provider, and patient outcome measures and how they are related to clinical factors and other occupation-related factors. Data were obtained from a New England workplace physical therapy (PT) clinic. Successful outcomes were defined as remaining-on/returning-to preinjury job (employer); achieving PT goals (provider); and increases in the SF-36 scale scores (patient). Variation in outcomes was explored across injury regions (shoulder, elbow, wrist/hand), work categories, number of visits, and length of PT care. Employer and provider outcomes are moderately correlated (phi coefficient = 0.51). Subjects demonstrated significant improvements in the SF-36 physical functioning and bodily pain scores after physical therapy intervention. Patients with elbow disorders needed more PT care and did not improve in the SF-36 role physical domain compared to shoulder and wrist/hand groups (p < 0.05). Our results describe the relationship between outcome measures from different perspectives and the influence from other contributing factors. The impact of workplace injury management and the selection of outcome measures warrant continued study.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitation Science, Boston University, NeuroMuscular Research Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. ptcheng@bu.edu
authors.forename: Ming-Shun S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Benjamin C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Amick
authors.forename: Mary P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Watkins
authors.forename: Catherine D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Rhea
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015331:Cohort Studies; D012090:Cumulative Trauma Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000534:rehabilitation; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D004651:Employment / Q000592:standards* / Q000639:trends; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009140:Musculoskeletal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities / Q000379:methods*; D011336:Probability; D012042:Registries; D012050:Rehabilitation, Vocational / Q000379:methods; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D034941:Upper Extremity; D014942:Workers' Compensation / Q000191:economics / Q000592:standards