Funding Agency: WDP/OHSAH Fellowship, OHSAH internal, WorkSafeBC (pending)
Start Date: January 2007
Objective: The focus of this research is to examine healthcare workplace policies on bipartite governance – the involvement of both management and unions – on disability prevention, and to analyze the effects these policies have on how return to work programs are developed and implemented. The specific objectives are as follows:

• To assess how organizational policy on bipartite governance/stakeholder involvement as formulated by OHSAH affect the decision making process regarding disability prevention programming at Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH).
• To examine how organizational policy on return-to-work formulated by VCH affects the decision making process regarding return to work activities and return to work activities in itself in practice.
• To analyze the intended and unintended consequences of policies on bipartite governance/stakeholder involvement- formulated by OHSAH at the organizational level at VCH.
• To analyze the intended and unintended consequences of organizational policies on return to work- formulated by bipartite governance/stakeholder involvement at VCH.
• To prepare recommendations to attune policies and/or to design communication plans in such a way that policy intentions on disability prevention are maximized to the benefit of policy makers and the workforce.

Principal Investigator: Karin Maiwald, Doctoral Student
Co-Investigators: Dr. Angelique de Rijk, Maastricht University, Netherlands, Dr. Renée-Louise Franche, OHSAH, Dr. Jaime Guzman, OHSAH, Dr. Agnes Meershoek, Maastricht University, Dr. Frans Nijhuis, Maastricht University
Additional Author: Karin Maiwald, OHSAH/Maastricht University, Netherlands


To view the power point presentation click here.