Clinical guidelines for treating injured workers in Queensland

The Clinical guidelines for the Queensland workers' compensation scheme were developed to offer evidence-based guidelines about treatment for particular injuries.

 

The selection includes guidelines currently used by other workers' compensation jurisdictions and medical bodies and covers injuries and diseases such as musculoskeletal and psychiatric conditions, which accounted for approximately 60% of the injuries in the Queensland workers' compensation scheme in the 2006-2007 financial year.

 

Occupational Medicine Specialist and one of the deputy chairpersons of Q-COMP's General Medical Assessment Tribunal Dr Keith Adam says the guidelines provide injured workers with a level of care representing best practice.

 

'As doctors we often see patients who have had extremely varied treatment and although the treatment has been useful, there are sometimes other effective methods that haven't been considered,' he says.

 

'While I don't think you can ever prescribe exactly how to treat patients because no two cases are the same, I do think there is room to offer some guidance on effective treatment for particular conditions that should be considered for each patient.'

 

Dr Adam says sometimes there will be good reasons where guidelines may not apply, but at the very least they should act as a reminder to make sure all possibilities are considered.

 

'I encourage all medical professionals to use the Clinical guidelines for the Queensland workers' compensation scheme because they have been developed on the best evidence we have at the moment as being the most effective way to manage a work-related injury,' he says.

 

The guidelines selected have been successfully applied to practice and were developed in consultation with medical providers, nurses and allied health providers.

 

Clinical guidelines by injury type

 

Clinical guidelines are a guide only and don't indicate compulsory medical treatment for work-related injuries.

 

• Shoulder
• Ankle
• Elbow
• Wrist
• Knee
• Back
• Psychiatric