How to improve professional reporting of work evaluations.

One of the significant hindrances to more frequent participation by occupational therapists in the vocational rehabilitation process is ineffective communication. The authors contend that occupational therapists conducting work evaluations can help overcome this deficit by making changes in the orientation, language, and form of their evaluation reports. A recent research study by the authors comparing a survey of current occupational therapy practice and an assessment of needs of vocational rehabilitation counselors identified specific problems with work evaluation reports. These concerned uncertainty about who they were serving with their reports, use of language unfamiliar to persons not in the medical field, and presentation of data without interpretation or application to work situations. The authors offer specific suggestions for writing reports of work evaluation which will provide better bases for helping workers return to their jobs.