There is new research data on the reduction of mental health-related incapacity for work. An implementation study was carried out on the MYÖTE operational model. The model increases co-operation between occupational health services and other social welfare and health care sector parties in the treatment of mental health disorders. Supporting return to work requires more co-operation between different parties and considering the stigma related to the topic.
Researchers from the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health and the University of Eastern Finland studied factors that promote and prevent the implementation of the MYÖTE operational model. The study has been published in the prestigious scientific journal BMC Health Services Research.
Even professionals may have prejudices about mental disorders
Significantly reducing recovery times has previously succeeded in other patient groups by enhancing the collaboration between public and occupational health care using the TYÖOTE operational model. The MYÖTE operational model also enhances co-operation between psychiatric specialist health care and occupational health care.
"Even occupational health care professionals may have negative prejudices related to mental health disorders. It is important to focus on supporting the return to work of people suffering from mental health disorders with the same enthusiasm as, for example, after joint replacement surgery," says Chief Specialist Pirjo Juvonen-Posti. There is also a need for support at workplaces, both from supervisors and colleagues.
"Unfortunately, the stigma or embarrassment often associated with mental health disorders and processing it must be taken into account when adopting the operational model more widely in the future. It is also particularly important to understand that there are several different parties and operators involved in the treatment of mental disorders, and the implementation of the model is not as straightforward as in orthopaedics," says Mikko Henriksson, Senior Specialist at the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health.
For example, different wellbeing services counties may have different ways of organising mental health care and rehabilitation. Occupational health care professionals may not have a sufficient overview of how treatment is organised in their own wellbeing services county.
More co-operation is needed
The MYÖTE operational model focuses on developing co-operation in particular between psychiatric specialist health care and occupational health care using an electronic referral. However, the electronic referral practice is not yet ready everywhere, and the one-way practice still needs further development.
The treatment of mental disorders should therefore be developed as a whole, in a process that closely involves the relevant primary health care and rehabilitation parties. That is the best way to fulfill the role of occupational health care in co-ordinating work ability.
The various parties' shared belief in the usefulness of the MYÖTE operational model and trust in its developers promoted the deployment of the model. There was also trust in the ability of occupational health care personnel to assess and support returning to work.
The results of the study will be used in the expansion of the TYÖOTE model as part of the Mental Health Toolkit project, which is funded by Finland’s Sustainable Growth Programme.
The MYÖTE project was funded by he European Social Fund (ESF) and carried out by the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, the University of Eastern Finland, the University of Helsinki and MIELI Mental Health Finland. The present study was led by Professor Tuula Oksanen from the University of Eastern Finland.
For further information, please contact:
Professor Tuula Oksanen, University of Eastern Finland, tuula.oksanen@uef.fi
Senior Specialist Mikko Henriksson, Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, 050 501 0425, mikko.henriksson@ttl.fi
Chief Specialist Pirjo Juvonen-Posti, Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, 043 824 3568, pirjo.juvonen-posti@ttl.fi
Research article:
Henriksson, M., Tikka, C., Juvonen-Posti, P. et al. Referring psychiatric patients to occupational health services for earlier return to work – a qualitative implementation study of barriers and facilitators. BMC Health Serv Res 25, 109 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-025-12238-2
