Following on from the AIA paper, evidence from industry experts overwhelmingly supports early rehabilitation and RTW programs are a winning combination for all involved. 

Concord General Hospital, Sydney is a self insurer, who in 2003-4 found themselves with a huge number of open claims (~300), and a spate of very difficult cases who went on to have chronic pain syndromes. The organisation felt they were failing injured workers and that something needed to change.

After significant internal investigation, the consensus was that the first 4 weeks after an incident/injury was the answer, – after that you start to lose control! They instigated a rapid assessment and early intervention process, which included an assessment psychosocial risk (i.e. Yellow Flags). The idea was that high risk individuals needed to be identified in the first week/s. Nothing different needed to be done; only it needed to be done earlier. It was also important that a trusted GP was in control of the whole process through consultation and approval.

Along with aggressive acute injury/illness management, return to work planning for high risk individuals was commenced from the day of injury in the form of planning, discussion and communication between injury management co-ordinators, health professionals (GP and Physiotherapist) and employee supervisors.