Abstract
BackgroundFunctional capacity evaluation (FCE) determines a person’s ability to perform work-related tasks and is a major component of the rehabilitation process. The WorkWell Systems (WWS) FCE (formerly known as Isernhagen Work Systems FCE) is currently the most commonly used FCE tool in German rehabilitation centres. Our systematic review investigated the inter-rater, intra-rater and test-retest reliability of the WWS FCE.MethodsWe performed a systematic literature search of studies on the reliability of the WWS FCE and extracted item-specific measures of inter-rater, intra-rater and test-retest reliability from the identified studies. Intraclass correlation coefficients ≥ 0.75, percentages of agreement ≥ 80%, and kappa coefficients ≥ 0.60 were categorised as acceptable, otherwise they were considered non-acceptable. The extracted values were summarised for the five performance categories of the WWS FCE, and the results were classified as either consistent or inconsistent.ResultsFrom 11 identified studies, 150 item-specific reliability measures were extracted. 89% of the extracted inter-rater reliability measures, all of the intra-rater reliability measures and 96% of the test-retest reliability measures of the weight handling and strength tests had an acceptable level of reliability, compared to only 67% of the test-retest reliability measures of the posture/mobility tests and 56% of the test-retest reliability measures of the locomotion tests. Both of the extracted test-retest reliability measures of the balance test were acceptable.ConclusionsWeight handling and strength tests were found to have consistently acceptable reliability. Further research is needed to explore the reliability of the other tests as inconsistent findings or a lack of data prevented definitive conclusions.
Highlights
Functional capacity evaluation (FCE) determines a person’s ability to perform work-related tasks and is a major component of the rehabilitation process
In Germany, two types of rehabilitation services are provided to different groups of working aged persons according to the degree of limitation of functioning: general medical rehabilitation and work-related medical rehabilitation (WMR)
Tests with a ceiling are fulfilled if the ceiling is reached, which means that a subject has met the WorkWell Systems (WWS) FCE subtests
Summary
Functional capacity evaluation (FCE) determines a person’s ability to perform work-related tasks and is a major component of the rehabilitation process. The recently published German WMR guideline [10] recommends a job-specific mini functional capacity evaluation (FCE) at the beginning of work-related medical rehabilitation to objectively measure the patients’ ability to perform functional work activities. These data supplement the medical history and provide information on treatment requirements, return to work or functional capacity-based workplace configuration. The WorkWell Systems (WWS) FCE (formerly known as Isernhagen Work Systems FCE) [11] is currently the most commonly used FCE tool in German rehabilitation centres It was developed by Susan Isernhagen in the 1980s as a systematic method to objectively assess a subject’s ability to perform work-related tasks. Tests with a ceiling are fulfilled if the ceiling is reached, which means that a subject has met the Performance category
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