Do you remember the movie Patch Adams, in which Robin Williams plays a doctor who treats ill children with humor and laughter? Well, that's sort of what we're talking about. His famous line in the movie was, "You treat a disease, you win, you lose. You treat a person, I guarantee you, you'll win, no matter what the outcome."
Up until the late 1970s, the biomedical model for the treatment of injuries and illnesses was the primary approach of many medical providers. A change in the way medical providers approach the treatment of injury and illness has taken place since then, thanks to the biopsychosocial model.
Let's break it down:
Bio - meaning biological (study of life, functioning of living organisms)
Psycho - meaning psychological (thoughts, behaviors, emotions)
Social - relating to sociology (how we relate to society and groups)
vs.
Bio - study of life, functioning of living organisms
Medical - treatment of illness or injury
How does this relate to returning injured workers to work?
The older, biomedical approach focused on the theory that injury or illness is explained by a problem with the body's physical functioning. The treatment of patients focused solely on treating that problem on a "mechanical level" rather than looking at the bigger picture.
Allow me to explain.
A car engine has serious problems because the owner fails to get the oil changed for 10,000 miles. The bio-medical mechanic would say, change the oil and the filter and the car will be back on the road in no time. This approach fixes the problem, and only the problem. The mechanic does nothing to prevent future problems from occurring, or even ask why the problem occurred in the first place.
Conversely, the biopsychosocial approach focuses on a holistic, big-picture view of the problem. What elements of the problem are "mechanical" and what elements are as a result of the behaviors and thoughts of the individual? What social factors are impacting the situation?
Back to the car -- The biopsychosocial mechanic would ask: Why did the car owner fail to follow the recommended intervals for an oil change? Were they not aware of the need to change your car's oil more frequently (cognitive)? Did they believe that an oil change at 3,000 miles was just a money-making scheme (beliefs)? Did the only garage by the owner's house have a bad reputation, which caused her to avoid it (social)?
Effectively getting the car owner to comply with regular oil changes is like getting an injured person to comply with treatment. We must examine the entire process. What elements of the situation will make the desired outcome more likely? What factors other than just the type of treatment will yield the best results? Are there barriers to the successful rehab of the individual?
When considering return to wellness, ecovery focuses on this holistic approach. What factors are influencing the injured worker's beliefs about their ability to return to work after an injury? How does the workplace environment enable or prevent a successful return to modified duty? Does the injured worker have social support by coworkers or at home? Consider this type of analysis and whether you have all of your bases covered with your current RTW program. ecovery helps you accomplish this by focusing on all stakeholders involved, and providing you with the tools for successful return to wellness transitions. ecovery programs effectively and proactively address these questions through the tools that we provide. Check out the ecovery library for more of the tools you need to succeed.
For more information on the biopsychosocial model, check out The Increasing Influence of Biopsychosocial Medicine from the Global Neuroscience Initiative Foundation (GNIF).
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