Occupational Health

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Occupational Health
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Occupational Medicine

• Recognized Specialty Since 1949
• Combines Clinical Skills With Toxicology,
  Epidemiology, Safety, Rehabilitation, and
  Business Operations
• Tightrope Walker Responsible to Patients as
  well as Business.

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Occupational Health Services

• Evaluation and Treatment for Medical Conditions
• Emergency Medical Response
• Medical Surveillance
• Disease Management
• Fitness and Wellness
• Employee WorkLife Management

• Disability Management and Accommodation
• Employee Assistance and Advocacy
• Absence Management
• Workers Compensation
• Training
• Records Management
• Information Privacy

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Why a Special Practice Model?

• Central Themes are Employee Health, Risk
  Management, and Regulatory Compliance
• Occupational Diseases are Hard to Distinguish
  From Ones Unrelated to the Workplace
• There Are Definite Individual, Group, and
  Business Benefits of Prevention, Intervention,
  and Rehabilitation Programs
• In Fact, The Economic Implications of Maintaining
  a Healthy Workforce are Large

Source USA Today
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Occupational Health Program Structure

• Basics
• Business Priorities and Regulatory Mandates Play
  a Big Role in Program Design and Implementation.
• Have to Know the Work Processes and How They
  Impact Employees, Their Contacts, and The
  Environment.
• The Goal is to Enable Employees to Safely Work
  and Successfully Perform Tasks Without
  Interference from Health Based Issues.
• For Employees Who are Absent, OH Professionals
  Work to Facilitate Effective and Efficient
  Interventions With a Goal of Return to Work.

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How Do We Know What to Address?

• Some Activities are Prescribed by Regulation.
• In other cases
• Remain Vigilant For Activity or Incident Trends,
  Changes in People or Work activities.
• Evaluations Should Occur Early
• Also Involves Management, Safety, Human
  Resources, Industrial Hygiene, and Engineering.
• Decisions Must Balance Individual Rights and
  Needs With Rights and Needs of the Employer.
• Each Situation Presents an Opportunity.

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Employee Evaluation Content

• Entrance (Baseline) Examinations
• Can They do the Job?
• Do They Have Medical Conditions?
• Do They Need Accommodation?
• Periodic Screening Due to Known Exposures.
• Fitness for Duty (Specific Cause).
• Mandated Examinations.
• Evaluations for Accommodation or for Disputed
  Documentation.
• Special Evaluations.

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Emergency Medical Response

• EMS Agency Status is Desirable
• Strict Certification Requirements
• Specified Equipment and Treatment Protocols
• Required Continuing Education
• Physician Oversight of Operations
• Review and Follow-up of Each Response
• Volunteers from Employee Population
• Tangible (medical) Benefits are Surpassed by the
  Many Intangible (Camaraderie, Continuous
  Improvement, Loyalty) Benefits

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What About Absences?

• Employees Must Have A Desire to Return
• Work Within Company Policies, Regulatory
  Requirements, and Privacy Programs
• Treatment Must Be Successful -- Optimum
  Intervention for Individual
• Use Competent and Objective Personnel For
  Evaluation and Management
• Closely Manage Return to Work and Afterward
• Track Outcomes and Prevention Efforts Both During
  Intervention and After Full Return To Work
  (Disease Management) Enables Repeat of Success.

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Disability Management Principles

• Treat Each Employee As You Would Like To Be
  Treated If You Were In Their Position
• Healthcare Is A Consumer Commodity But Only
  Insurers Treat it as One
• Educated Employees Make Good Consumers
• Although Some Managed Care Pressures May Impede
  Efficient Care, They Can Be Overcome
• Work Is Good For You Remember that Your
  Employer is Paying While You are Absent
• The Earlier You Return to Normal Activities, The
  Better Your Overall Prognosis (Physical and
  Behavioral)

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Can We Really Assist Employees?

• An Important OH Service is Provision of Employee
  Assistance and WorkLife Enhancement Programs
• A Broad Array of Services Should be Provided to
  Employees and Members of Their Households
• Utilization Rates Should be Tracked Against the
  National Average for Similar Industries
• It is Not Enough to Offer Services. Due to Human
  Inertia, Assistance Programs Must be Marketed
• Assistance Also Includes Advocacy With Non-Work
  Related Health Issues

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Advocacy Services
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