LAUSR

Background: In Belgium, people with Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Diseases (RMDs) are a large group of patients on sick leave receiving an allowance as their condition does not allow them to remain at work. In order to reduce costs, the Belgian National Institute for Health and Disability Insurance (NIHDI) has reached out to social partners to jointly start up projects to promote the professional reintegration of people with RMDs. ReumaNet is one of these partners and has, in close collaboration with the NIHDI, started up a research project ‘ReumaWerkt’ to promote professional reintegration of people with a rheumatic disease. Objectives: Via the ‘ReumaWerkt’ research, ReumaNet wanted to identify, as from a patient’s perspective, which support patients need in order to stay at work or to start working again: 1. Information: identify and assess patients’ available information about professional reintegration 2. Resources: evaluate resources people with RMDs have at their disposal to stay at work and/or to return to work 3. Assess if a Patient Expert (a trained patient) is an added value in supporting peers in their professional reintegration 4. Assess if a certified return to work coordinator is an added value in supporting people with RMDs towards professional reintegration Methods: - Surveys questioning people with RMDs to assess their satisfaction regarding available information flows, resources and support (127 respondents) - Survey questioning stakeholders (rheumatologists, health professionals) about information on professional integration they use and share (79 respondents) - Coaching and supporting people with RMDs via personal contacts, mail, skype, phone calls,… in order to jointly define tailored answers on professional reintegration Results: 1. There is a discrepancy between where patients expect to find information about professional reintegration and where information is given. There is plenty information available, but not customized, sometimes inconsistent, mostly too general and the legislation is too complex. 2. People with RMDs do experience physical obstacles at work. In addition, the Belgian government provides financial support, which is unfortunately (a) not well known and (b) too limited. 3. 80% of the respondents rated 7/10 and more as satisfaction rate. 82% of the respondents (N=127) would recommend the support of a Patient Expert to other patients. 4. The certified return to work coordinator applies disability management principles, focusing mainly on job retention and stimulating professional reintegration, taking into account each patient’s personal bio-psycho-social context. Conclusion: 1. People with RMDs, and their health professionals, are in need for straightforward and correct information about professional reintegration possibilities. Information flows need to be improved and provided information needs to be more specific, i.e. disease related. 2. People with RMDs have specific needs to allow them to return to or stay at work such as flexible working hours, functional adaptations in their working environment and financial support. 3. Patient expertise is an added value in supporting people with RMDs: respondents felt more understood by a peer, appreciated the opportunity for a more open, candid dialogue and felt encouraged to return to work. 4. Working via the principles of disability management is an added value: it is important to support people with RMDs as soon as possible and provide personalized tailored information on professional reintegration opportunities. Disclosure of Interests: None declared