The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

3222.0: Monday, November 17, 2003 - 12:30 PM

Abstract #68108

Occupational health services research: Evaluating the outcomes, cost and quality of care among employees

Patricia M. McGovern, PhD, Division of Environmental and Occupational Health, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Mayo Mail Code 807, 420 Delaware St. SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455, 612-625-7429, pmcg@umn.edu, Bryan E. Dowd, PhD, Division of Health Services Research and Policy, University of Minnesota, 420 Delaware Street S.E., Mayo Mail Code 729, Minneapolis, MN 55455, Thomas M. Wickizer, PhD, Department of Health Services, University of Washington, Box 357660, Seattle, WA 98195-7660, and Benjamin C. Amick, PhD, School of Public Health, University of Texas-Houston Health Sciences Center, PO Box 20186, Houston, TX 77225.

Pat McGovern will provide an overview to the session, which will address the urgent need identified by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) for applying approaches from health services research to questions about the outcomes, cost and quality of health services provided to working adults. The papers presented in this session will address this need. Professor McGovern is a health services researcher and occupational health nurse. She co-directs a NIOSH training grant in occupational health services research and policy at the University of Minnesota. Ben Amick will present the first paper, which describes predictors of return to work (RTW) following carpal tunnel release surgery in a sample of patients preoperatively, and postoperative. Professor Amick currently serves as co-leader of the National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA) team addressing health services research in occupational health and safety. Bryan Dowd will present the second paper, which evaluates the impact of a coordinated health care and disability program on indemnity, medical and workers' compensation costs. Professor Dowd is a policy analyst and co-director of a NIOSH training grant in occupational health services research and policy at the University of Minnesota. Tom Wickizer will present the third paper, which addresses patient satisfaction in relation to treatment outcomes using a prospective cohort of injured workers receiving care using state workers' compensation data. Professor Wickheizer is an economist who is the co-director of a NIOSH training grant in occupational health services research at the University of Washington.

Learning Objectives:

Keywords: Occupational Health Programs, Evaluation

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
I have a significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.
Relationship: I will be discussing the NORA priority of health services research and am a co-director on a NIOSH training grant in occupational health services research and policy.

Occupational Health Services Research: Evaluating the Outcomes, Cost and Quality of Care Among Employees

The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA