Research

UHN Rehabilitation Solutions has devoted considerable resources towards program evaluation and research activities, evidenced by our ability to systematically collect extensive demographic and clinical outcome data on all of the WSIB Specialty Program injured workers since 1999.

We believe strongly in measuring our clinical outcomes, then improving our programs and services by using the results of our research endeavours.

We are consistently looking to form long lasting and meaningful partnerships with other stakeholders who have interests in health and disability management.

Our program evaluation and research activities highlights include:

• Access to client demographic information.
• Access to clinical outcomes for Occupational Rehabilitation and Functional Restoration Program attendees.
• Relationship of demographics and clinical outcomes to psychological status.
• Sustainability for return to work.
• Development of screening tools, tracking mechanisms & standardized questionnaire procedures to ensure consistent data collection.
• Access to interpreters for use in program evaluation activities from a multitude of languages. Our top languages include: Punjab, Portuguese, Italian, Polish, Spanish, Tamil and Turkish.
• Development of processes to ensure accurate data that is housed in a systematic and confidential manner.

Research Activities and Publications

UHN Rehabilitation Solutions has devoted resources to research activities and publications. Our clinicians and research partners have presented posters, submitted abstracts, and published on a number of topics related to impairments resulting from work related injuries.

List of Current Research Activities

1. WSIB Research Advisory Council Funded Project "Relationship of Treatment-Related Factors to Sustained Vocationally Relevant Outcomes of Injured Workers with Chronic Pain Following Multidisciplinary Treatment" (2002); Principal Investigators: Erika Runions, Douglas Saunders (University Health Network);Co-Investigator: David Etlin (University Health Network); Sponsoring Institution: University Health Network.
2. Rehabilitation Solutions Funded Projects (a) "Development of a Chronic Illness Job Strain Scale (CIJSS)"Principal Investigator: Dr. Monique Gignac.
3. (b) "Return to Work Outcomes After Digital Replantation: A Multidimensional Analysis"; Principal Investigator: Dr. Linda Dvali.
4. (c) "A Prospective Clinical Trial to Determine the Role of Ankle Distraction in the Treatment of Ankle Arthritis"; Principal Investigator: Dr. Johnny Lau.

Other Research Activities & Publications

1. Etlin D, Runions E, Saunders S. Evaluation of The Toronto Western Hospital's Functional Restoration program.
2. Etlin D, Runions E, Saunders D. Evaluation of a Customized Return to Work Program.
3. Etlin D, Runions E, Saunders D. Evaluation of an early graduated occupational / clinical intervention on chronic pain development in injured workers.
4. Saunders D, Runions E, Etlin D. The relationship of treatment outcomes and work - related status.
5. Saunders D, Runions E, Etlin E. Individual differences in chronic pain treatment outcomes: Comparing early discharge patients with treatment completes with improved clinical status.
6. Saunders D, Runions E, Etlin D . Individual differences in initial client profiles as a predictor of treatment outcomes in a six week chronic pain management program
7. Saunders D, Runions E, Etlin D, Keopfler L . After treatment what now? Barriers to recovery, Multidisciplinary Research- WSIB Grant submission Jan. 2001
8. Mainwaring L, Borenstein M, Kimmerle M. Assessment and rehabilitation of functional hand use following dominant hand injury. American Journal of Hand Therapy.
9. Saunders D, Hennigar C, Woloshyn N, Efendov A. Prevalence of psychosocial impairments in work-related hand injury patients.
10. Anastakis D and Mikulis D. The Toronto Hospital; "Functional MRI following amputation and peripheral nerve injury."