The above article provides a sobering commentary on the state of the disability system in the United States.
Currently approximately 9 million people are receiving social security disability benefits or approximately 5% of the available workforce. Many of these people have of given up any hope of ever returning back to work as less than 1% of people on disability ever do actually return to work.
As Physicians, we need to change the narrative. We need to put the “ability back into disability”. By directly confronting patients fears, identifying barriers to return to work, and looking for transitional work, many of these ex-workers on disability may be able to transition back to a productive work environment.
Ask Dr S. 