Worker compensation systems and their correlations with national hand surgery organizations around the world

Abstract

Objective : To study the influence of the worker compensation system on the development of national hand surgery organizations around the world.

Setting : Christine M. Kleinert Institute for Hand and Microsurgery, Louisville, Kentucky, USA.

Study design : Cross sectional survey

Subjects : One hundred and fifteen former fellows of Christine M. Kleinert Institute from forty-two countries excluding the United States.

Methods : Questionnaires regarding development of national hand surgery. Organizations and worker compensation systems were sent via electronic mails.

Results : The response is 30.43 % (thirty-five from one hundred and fifteen). There was no statistical correlation between the two studied parameters. Thirty-one countries (88.6%) have well developed Worker's Compensation Systems. All countries responded that they have their National Society dedicated to Hand and Microsurgery but only about half of them (54.3 %) have well developed training programs.

Conclusion : No correlation between the worker compensation systems and development of national hand surgery organizations.