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Diagnoses and treatment recommendations on workers compensation medical certificates
1School of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, The University of Sydney, NSW. E.Schonstein@cchs.usyd.edu.au
Objective:
To review the diagnostic descriptions and treatment recommendations for back and neck pain on the new workers compensation medical certificates and compare these with evidence-based guidelines.
Design:
Retrospective analysis of 251 medical certificates of workers with compensable neck and back pain held by a workers compensation insurer.
Main Outcome Measures:
Diagnoses given and treatments prescribed by the nominated treating doctors.
Results:
The diagnoses most frequently used were "sprain/strain" and "pain/ache". Physiotherapy was the most frequently prescribed treatment, followed by rest and medication. Rest was prescribed for 68 (27%) workers, 87% of whom were classified as having an acute injury. Activity-based treatments were prescribed for 45 (18%) workers.
Conclusions:
Not all doctors used diagnostic terms consistent with recommended anatomical taxonomy. The drug therapy prescribed was consistent with current evidence-based treatment guidelines. However, the prescribing of rest, and the omission, in most cases, of explicit recommendations to resume normal activities, including work, are not consistent with current guidelines.