Training and Resources for Clinicians to Reduce Paperwork Burden and Improve Patient Work Capacity Documentation

Problem: Inadequate patient work capacity documentation by clinicians contributes to health and economic inequity, clinical inefficiency, and worse patient health outcomes. The intersection of an aging workforce and high amounts of work disability presents an opportunity for health systems to integrate occupational health best practices across clinical settings to improve patient health and work outcomes. Clinicians, however, are often unfamiliar with navigating patient work capacity forms to help patients maintain or obtain employment. This knowledge gap further perpetuates work disability. Approach: To compensate for this gap, we co-created a training for clinicians that integrates didactic learning and supplemental resources to support clinicians in accurately and efficiently completing work capacity forms. We recruited clinicians who volunteered to be a part of the training. Pre-training and post-training surveys were used to evaluate the training. Outcomes: In the preliminary study, 32 participants completed the pre-training survey and 22 completed the post-training survey. More than half (59.2%) of the participants felt that they do not have enough information or guidance when filling out patient work capacity forms, and only 16.7% reported having previous training. In both surveys, participants were asked a series of questions that assessed their confidence with work capacity forms. After the training, there was a statistically significant difference in confidence across all 4 domains: ``Completes work capacity forms accurately,'' (P < 0.044), ``Determines appropriate work modifications for patients,'' (P < 0.001), ``Discusses employment goals with patients'' (P < 0.001), and ``Connects patients to appropriate work and health resources,'' (P < 0.005). Next Steps: Our interprofessional intervention initiative seeks to engage and educate clinicians across specialties with information and effective strategies to improve patient employment support and completion of work capacity forms. The co-design team will use the survey feedback to refine the program with the goal of reducing patient work disability. By improving confidence and competency in this process, clinicians can promote a healthier, inclusive workforce environment through patient care.