Mark Schwartz, MD

In collaboration with Margareta Nordin, Mark Schwartz was awarded a $1.3 million contract by VA NYHHS to develop and test clinical practice guidelines (CPG) for improving recovery from work related back and neck injuries among hospital staff. Lost work time resulting from musculoskeletal pain and injury is a significant occupational health and public health issue. In 2007 a total of 3500 days were lost to work related to injury at the Manhattan campus alone, primarily among nurses.

The purpose of this contract is threefold:

• Update the current low back pain CPG and develop neck and neck-related shoulder pain CPG adapted for management of VA staff occupational injuries in the VA context;
• Develop a web-based training module for clinicians based on the CPG;
• Test the effectiveness of the CPG in improving outcomes associated with these occupational disorders.

Margareta Nordin, Dr. Med. Sci., is Professor at the Departments of Orthopedic and Environmental Medicine, Director, Graduate Program of Ergonomics and Biomechanics, and Director of the Occupational and Industrial Orthopedic Center (OIOC), NYU Hospital for Joint Diseases, New York University Medical Center.

Dr. Nordin is PI for the consulting group and Dr. Schwartz is PI at VA NYHHS.