The Work Assessment Triage Tool (WATT) was developed using data from the Workers’ Compensation Board of Alberta (WCB-Alberta) and categorizes claimants based on likelihood of successful return-to- work (RTW) following various types of rehabilitation. The WATT uses claimant characteristics that influence RTW including demographic, occupational, injury-related, functional, and psychosocial factors.
Research objectives are to:
1. Conduct an external validation of the existing WATT algorithm on a separate dataset containing information on WCB-Alberta claimants undergoing work assessment between 2012-2015.
2. Refine and update the WATT algorithm with new potential classifiers and outcome variables that are now available within the WCB-Alberta administrative and healthcare services database.
The main outcome of this project will be improved rehabilitation triage decision-making for workers’ compensation claimants through use of a validated tool that helps make personalized decisions.