Focus

Spotlight On Professionals
Communication breakdown
By Dayna Danson Hons. B.A.

Dr. David Cassidy stresses the importance of education and understanding in the return to work process.

f there is anyone who can attest to the importance of education in assisting individuals in a safe and sustainable return to work, it is Dr. J. David Cassidy. With dozens of years of schooling spanning from 1975-2005 behind him, Dr. Cassidy is a professional in the rehabilitation field, with expertise in the anatomy, surgery, pathology, epidemiology and chiropractic fields. Born in Toronto, Dr. J. David Cassidy attended the University of Toronto, followed by Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College. After practicing chiropractic in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan for a number of years, Dr. Cassidy then went on to complete a BSc in anatomy, an MSc in surgery, a PhD in pathology and a DrMedSc in injury epidemiology. Currently, Dr. Cassidy is a professor in the Division of Epidemiology at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto and a Senior Scientist at the Division of Health Care and Outcomes Research at the University Health Networks Toronto Western Hospital. He is also the Director of the Centre for Research Expertise in Improved Disability Outcomes (CREIDO). At CREIDO, Dr. Cassidy and his team are currently focused on several areas, including disability prevention in musculoskeletal disorders and after neurotrauma. They are also interested in the relationships between injured

workers and their employers and how to improve the health and productivity of the workforce. In the future, they hope to partner with those that can implement their research findings to improve quality of life in those with injuries. In addition, a CREIDO lead investigation found that workers become somewhat dislocated from their working lives and physical abilities when they develop chronic pain. This groundbreaking study, as Dr. Cassidy notes, will help the CREIDO team understand the injured workers perspective and design better interventions to help them return to health and work. The injured worker needs to be a partner in the return to work process and not just a recipient of care. Aside from his accomplishments at CREIDO, Dr. Cassidy has a lot to be proud of elsewhere; in his position as the Senior Scientist in the Division of Health Care & Outcomes Research at Toronto Western Research Institute, he has trained students, post-doctoral fellows and young scientists. I am privileged to have been a mentor to many talented individuals and to see them grow as health scientists, says Dr. Cassidy.

healthcare workers, their rehabilitation consultants, their family members and their insurance contacts, need to be on side and educated about the main barriers and facilitators concerning safe and sustainable return to work. Often the return to work process breaks down because of a lack of understanding or education with one or more parties in the process. Without a proper understanding or education on the important issues in return to work, the communication between key stakeholders breaks down and then the process stalls, to the detriment of all, stresses Dr. Cassidy. Dr. Cassidy also mentions that, in his opinion it is important to have partnerships between academic centres such as CREIDO and service provider associations such as VRA. CREIDO can provide research expertise and VRA can implement the programs that are necessary to achieve needed results.

Going forward, Dr. Cassidy is a strong believer in education, and its vital role in the return to work process.
All stakeholders, including the injured worker, the injured workers coworkers, their supervisors, their employer, their
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Dr. David Cassidy