A Return to Work (RTW) Co-ordinator is an employee nominated by an employer (or a contractor engaged for the role) whose principal purpose is to assist injured workers to return to work in a safe and durable manner. The RTW Co-ordinator ensures the policies and procedures in an employer’s return to work programme are followed. Not all employers have the luxury of a dedicated headcount for this position hence utilise WHO as a more effective resource.
A RTW Co-ordinator also has the role of facilitating a teamwork historical movie approach between the worker, management, insurer and health practitioners to develop and implement a return to work plan for the injured worker.
Rehabilitation is basically the restoration of function following injury or illness. Injury Management on the other hand involves intervention by way of medical, treatment, RTW, retaining, claims, management, rehabilitation and human resource management practices in the work place. Thus the promotion of injury management and early intervention is the key to long-term reduction in both direct and indirect costs to employers.