Delayed recovery in the patient with a work compensable injury

Under certain circumstances patients who are receiving compensation for an injury will have a disproportionate disability and delayed recovery because of reinforcers provided by the accident. Successful treatment depends on early recognition that the primary problem is emotional rather than due to concurrent physical problems. A few general rules can be helpful in the diagnosis and treatment of this type of patient. A thorough psychosocial history should be taken, and return to work as soon as possible is essential. With awareness of this process, the physician can work with the company, the therapist, and other consulting physicians to minimize the patient's disability and to maximize recovery.