ArticleJournal of occupational rehabilitation2026
Reducing Time Off Work Through an Integrated Care Pathway for Shoulder Injuries: Evidence from a Workers' Compensation Cohort Study.
Article in Journal of occupational rehabilitation, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
Abstract
purposeTo determine the effect of implementing a care pathway on return-to-work (RTW) levels and identify prognostic factors among workers filing their first shoulder injury claim.
methodsThis retrospective cohort study included 5075 workers with a first claim for shoulder injury: 2593 workers (2004-2008) received standard of care consultations, while 2482 workers (2014-2018) underwent specialized shoulder assessments through a care pathway that also included collaborative planning for RTW. Multinomial logistic regression determined the effect of implementing a care pathway on RTW levels and identified demographics, injury, occupational and program factors associated with RTW.
resultsThe most common injuries were traumatic (92.4%) and sprains/strains (64%). Median claim duration was 114 days (IQR = 140), with 80.6% receiving wage replacement benefits. The care pathway cohort was younger with shorter claim duration than the pre-care pathway cohort. They had 1.8 times (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.4; 2.3) greater risk of returning to modified duties than the pre-care pathway cohort. Days receiving wage replacement benefits 12-month post-claim closure were similar between cohorts (p = 0.8). RTW outcomes were impacted by demographics, injury, occupational, and program factors, with interpreter use, prolonged claims, poor compliance, and delayed treatment most strongly associated with failure to RTW at pre-accident levels.
conclusionsThe findings demonstrate that the care pathway cohort was associated with quicker return to modified duties without compromising long-term RTW outcome. This underscores the importance of proactive intervention strategies like care pathways in optimizing workplace rehabilitation outcomes and minimizing long-term disability. Clinical Trial Number Not applicable.
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