Coordinated teamwork in California industrial rehabilitation

This article describes a case study of an industrially produced hand injury that exemplifies the coordination and teamwork involved in vocational rehabilitation in the California Workers' Compensation system. This patient required multiple tendon and nerve transplant operations done with microsurgical techniques, hand therapy for functional and sensory retraining, job analysis, vocational evaluation, labor market survey, work-hardening experience, and an on-the-job training program to effect a successful outcome. An overview of the current status of the California Workers' Compensation system and current insurance perspectives are discussed.