Telephonic support to facilitate return to work: what works, how, and when?

Telephonic approaches using assessment and triage, along with coordination of the key players, can be effective at reducing the number of sickness episodes, the number of days lost and the overall cost of a case/claim. Unnecessary healthcare can be reduced, without compromising client satisfaction. The important caveat is that this applies when services are well designed and implemented, and are staffed by professionals who have appropriate training and support.Central to enhancing return-to-work outcomes is that work is seen as a health outcome, and that work participation is the principal focus for the service: every client is asked about their work to identify obstacles to early return; they are helped to devise a practical and feasible return-to-work plan; there is coordinated action with the workplace. The assembled evidence indicates that when all these components are put together in an efficient manner, with appropriately skilled staff, the service will facilitate timely return to work and demonstrate cost-benefits and cost-effectiveness.