The importance of an accurate & relevant Return-to-Work plan


At FPES, we pride ourselves on listening to the needs of each individual client and tailoring our programs to fit efficiently within each organisation. This is no more evident than in our Return-to-Work (RTW) planning software, aimed at providing companies peace of mind by confirming what suitable duties are available for their injured team members and setting out an appropriate end-to-end plan. Implementation of this software has been shown to reduce lost time injuries and reduce claim durations. 

So how does it work?

The early stage of an injury claim is a crucial time for a RTW plan – if a reliable and injury-relevant plan is implemented, the likelihood of an employee returning to work is increased by almost double. After 30 days, a RTW plan becomes even more critical, increasing the likelihood of returning to work by more than three times. (SIRA: Factors influencing return to work outcomes).

To support an efficient return-to-work process, FPES has developed a software system that removes the excess administrative burden behind developing RTW plans. Our software delivers either single or multi-staged RTW plans automatically, matching the current physical capacity of the injured worker (as identified in the medical certificate) with physical requirements of tasks within the workplace (physical requirements of workplace tasks are available through pre-loading of job dictionary data). This automated identification of appropriate tasks not only saves significant time for the RTW Co-ordinator, but also allows the RTW Co-ordinator to select the tasks that populate the plan which best suit the business demands at that point in time. 

FPES understands that the importance of an effective RTW plan can’t be underestimated, providing accountability, and ensuring appropriate suitable duties are identified within the capacity recommendations. 

“Our unique Return-to-Work software supports the inexperienced RTW coordinator to develop accurate plans in just minutes,” says FPES Medical Director Dr Martin Raftery. “This innovative approach has proven to be faster, more accurate and more supportive of injured workers during this return-to-work process. Simplifying RTW Plan development has resulted in our clients reporting almost perfect compliance with RTW Plan development and updating. We take pride in that we, as a company, have helped to develop over 50,000 RTW Plans.”

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