The Comprehensive Occupational Rehabilitation Program (formerly known as the Work Hardening Program) is an outpatient service in the North Hills Health Center in Menonomonee Falls. CORP is an interdisciplinary, outcomes-focused and individualized program, which addresses the medical, psychological, behavioral, physical, functional and vocational components of employability and return to work.
CORP bridges the gap between initial acute injury management and return to work. We use a team approach to treatment and you may work with an occupational therapist, physical therapist, vocational specialist/case manager, rehabilitation counselor/psychologist and athletic trainers.
This comprehensive program has three major components:
- Job Simulation — activities used to recreate the physical demands of your tasks at work.
- Fitness/Conditioning — combination of a fitness/aerobic equipment routine and individual exercises to improve your overall conditioning and endurance for work.
- Education — to help you understand your injury, the risk factors that contributed to your injury and ways to avoid a re-injury.
Injured workers participate in the program three or more hours per day, five days per week. Their average stay in the program is three to four weeks.
Services Provided
- Physical therapy
- Occupational therapy
- Vocational rehabilitation/work adjustment counseling
- Case management
- Counseling services (group and individual)
- Job task simulation
- Work conditioning/fitness
- Injury prevention education
- Body mechanics instruction
- On-site job analysis/ergonomics consultation
- Functional capacity evaluations
The fitness center is fully equipped with Badger Magnum fitness equipment and aerobic exercise equipment (treadmills, bikes, Stairmasters, etc.). A job simulation area provides materials and equipment to simulate tasks requiring:
- Material handling (conveyor, dollies, carts);
- Construction trades (hand and power tools, shoveling station, multi-workstation for drywall application, carpentry, electrical conduit work and plumbing);
- Production/manufacturing (small parts assembly equipment and fabricated job simulation equipment);
- Mechanical (BTE work simulator);
- Driving (BTE work simulator and vibrating truck seat simulator);
- Health care (hospital bed for transfer training);
- Fire/police/rescue personnel (rescue practice manikin with capacity to be weighted to 175 pounds) and more.
Expected Outcome
To maximize abilities to return to work or pursue alternative vocational goals, following a work-related injury or illness. These services result in an increase in strength, physical conditioning, ability to perform job tasks, endurance, ability to cope with job stress or loss, confidence to perform job tasks safely, using proper body mechanics and injury prevention techniques.
