Article

The pre-return-to-work medical consultation during sick leave for low
back pain (LBP) aims at assessing the worker's ability to resume working without
risk for his/her health, and anticipating any difficulties inherent to returning
to work and job retention. This article summarizes the good practices guidelines
proposed by the French Society of Occupational Medicine (SFMT) and the French
National Health Authority (HAS), and published in October 2013. METHODS: Good
practices guidelines developed by a multidisciplinary and independent task force
(24 experts) and peer review committee (50 experts) based on a literature review
from 1990 to 2012, according to the HAS methodology. RESULTS: According to the
labour regulations, workers can request a medical consultation with their
occupational physician at any time. The pre-return-to-work consultation precedes
the effective return-to-work and can be requested by the employee regardless of
their sick leave duration. It must be scheduled early enough to: (i) deliver
reassuring information regarding risks to the lower back and managing LBP; (ii)
evaluate prognostic factors of chronicity and prolonged disability in relations
to LBP and its physical, social and occupational consequences in order to
implement the necessary conditions for returning to work; (iii) support and
promote staying at work by taking into account all medical, social and
occupational aspects of the situation and ensure proper coordination between the
different actors. CONCLUSION: A better understanding of the pre-return-to-work
consultation would improve collaboration and coordination of actions to
facilitate resuming work and job retention for patients with LBP.
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Langue : ANGLAIS