Disability Management:

Limestone Health Consultants has been providing comprehensive disability management services for employers and injured workers in Eastern Ontario for the past 15 years.  We believe that a strong, well-managed disability management program is key for employers who want to manage health, wellness and disability issues in a respectful, timely manner.

Research indicates that disability management programs will result in injured or ill workers returning to work earlier and in such a manner that they will remain at work. 

Services:

Disability Management Program Development: We work with your occupational health or human resources department to create a program designed to meet your corporation`s individual needs.  This can include development of a policy and procedure manual and implementation of the program. 

Staff Training: We provide staff in-services, lunch and learn, and half or full day training on a range of disability management topics including: roles and responsibilities within a disability management program, human rights and due diligence, ergonomics, management responsibilities in return to work programs, and how to conduct job demands analysis.  Other sessions are available upon request

Job Demands Analysis (JDA): Limestone Health Consultants has developed a comprehensive JDA based on extensive research and experience in the field of disability managment. The JDA includes the essential duties of the job, physical demands, cognitive demands, work environment, and a summary page to make it easier to submit to the WSIB, LTD provider, physician, or other health professional. 

JDA`s are used in return to work planning, post-offer employment testing, job match with existing or potential occupations, and ergonomic assessments. 

Return to Work Planning (rtw): We provide assistance in developing rtw plans and provide third party assistance in difficult or challenging situations. Our Occupational Therapists or Vocational Counsellors work with both employers, medical professionals, worker representatives, and the injured or ill worker to ensure a safe and timely return to work plan.  We can assist in identifying assistive devices or accommodations that will result in a successful rtw outcome.

Functional Assessments: We provide a standardized 4-hour functional assessment conducted by a certified functional assessor (occupational therapist or physiotherapist).  The assessment can be used to identify whether a worker can return to work safely in either their own or a suitable alternate occupation; to identify baseline functional abilities that can assist in vocational assessments and the identification of a suitable alternative occupation.

Ergonomics: See ergonomic page for detailed information about how ergonomics can be an essential part of your disability management program.

Research: Limestone Health believes in supporting and conducting research in the area of disability management and is interested in working with employers to develop strong relationships and research agendas on various aspects of disability managment.  Currently, we are involved with Queen`s University on a research project intended to design a tool that will measure support within rtw.

Sherrey Larmour-Trode, CEO, Limestone Health and KBM, is also completing the requirements for a Ph.D. in Rehabilitation at Queen`s University with a focus on disability management.  Her current research interest is in the area of respect and justice within a return to work program.  This research will examine worker`s perceptions about how they were treated throughout their disability management process.  Interviews will be conducted with injured worker`s who have recently participated in a return to work program. The qualitative study will gather information on the phenomenon of organizational justice within a return to work program.  Future research will build on this study to develop a training program for front line managers.  The program will train managers on techniques that will enhance the worker`s perception that their employer will treat them justly throughout their return to work program, thus improving rtw outcomes.

For more information or to participate in this study - please contact Dr. Rosemary Lysaght, Department of Rehabilitation, Queen`s University.