413 - A Checklist and Skills to Promote Clinical Quality for Upper Extremity Musculoskeletal Work Injury Claims Part 2

This session focuses on enhanced diagnosis and management of musculoskeletal symptoms claimed as work injuries. New symptoms from gradual onset idiopathic or degenerative conditions are often misperceived as an injury. Problems may arise when a clinician anchors on a perception of injury without distinguishing new symptoms or pathophysiology. The consequences of this cognitive bias include inaccurate diagnosis, inappropriate work restrictions, unhelpful or unnecessary treatments, and inadequate documentation and alleviation of distress and distorted thinking. Mismanagement of idiopathic or degenerative conditions as work injuries confuse patients and distracts them from a healthy understanding and accommodation of their body. This session will introduce a debiasing checklist to limit such pitfalls and promote effective, collaborative treatment strategies. Through case discussions and hands-on practice to enhance clinical observation and examination skills, participants will learn how to distinguish injury from other pathophysiology, document stress, distress, and less healthy thinking, and support recovery and return-to-work goals