124 - Making Accommodations Work: Centering Occupational Medicine in a Global, Rights-based Accommodations Process

Well-implemented accommodations and transitional return-to-work programs reduce time away from work, improve worker engagement and performance, and decrease associated costs. Occupational medicine physicians possess the unique training, knowledge, and skills to integrate an individual's medical issues into a comprehensive management plan for a successful return to work and accommodation. They assess functional capabilities, recommend workplace modifications, and coordinate with employers and other healthcare providers to support the employee's health and productivity. Holistic approaches consider the employee's health at work, the operational needs of the workplace, and an institutional culture of inclusion. This session describes a novel multi-disciplinary approach that combines occupational medicine, customized case management, ergonomics, and human resources/management in a robust accommodations program for a complex global workforce spanning over 130 countries