[Development and User Testing of the PRATICAdr Web Application: Return-to-work Platform Focused on Interaction and...

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health
• Digital Health
• Mental Health Technology

Background:

• Common mental disorders (CMDs) significantly contribute to workplace absences, necessitating effective return-to-work (RTW) strategies.
• Current RTW processes rely heavily on stakeholder interaction, but lack validated technological solutions for streamlined communication and support.
• Existing mental health applications often focus on patient management but do not adequately facilitate inter-professional collaboration or systematic employee RTW support.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the development of the PRATICAdr application, a novel platform designed for stakeholder interaction and communication in RTW processes.
• To document and evaluate user testing of the PRATICAdr application, assessing its usability and user satisfaction among employees returning to work after CMDs.

Main Methods:

• PRATICAdr development involved three phases: needs assessment, conceptualization and programming, and real-world testing.
• User satisfaction was evaluated through questionnaires and interviews with employees on sick leave and involved RTW stakeholders.
• The application's interface was designed for ease of use by employees and all participating RTW stakeholders.

Main Results:

• PRATICAdr enables real-time tracking of RTW stakeholders and facilitates personalized employee support.
• The platform systematizes stakeholder consultation, shared decision-making, and monitoring through operationalized processes and validated tools.
• Initial user testing with 16 employees returning from CMDs revealed high satisfaction (average >9/10) with the application, stakeholder involvement, and integrated questionnaires.

Conclusions:

• PRATICAdr has been implemented in two large organizations for effectiveness evaluation in employees with CMDs undergoing RTW.
• Preliminary results demonstrate significant user satisfaction with the PRATICAdr application among employees on sick leave.
• Future development includes integrating e-learning to customize RTW programs based on predicted sick leave duration and sustainable recovery outcomes.