Occupational medicine specialists play an important role in the prevention, identification, and treatment of workplace injuries and illnesses. Occupational medicine specialists customarily practice as company doctors employed by corporations; as consultants to corporations; or as private practitioners. Occupational medicine specialists generally practice within the framework of the workers' compensation system. Individuals can be exposed to chemicals, sources of traumatic injury, hazardous physical agents, and emotional stress in their jobs. Any of these exposures can cause injury or disease; sometimes this occurs immediately, sometimes after years or decades. Understanding these occupational exposures and their effects on humanity constitutes the core of occupational medicine.
Independent Medical Evaluations
When a workers' compensation case results in litigation, occupational medicine specialists become important witnesses in resolving disputes. When asked to evaluate the worker, in most states, the occupational medicine specialist is designated as an independent medical evaluator. Most requests for an independent medical evaluation come from the insurers, but on occasion, plaintiffs' attorneys, judges, and others may initiate an independent medical evaluation when a specialized, unbiased medical opinion concerning a patient's health status is required. Independent medical evaluations typically require at least a one-hour visit with the physician, in addition to medical records review literature searches, and report generation.
Return to Work
A return to work evaluation is available to assess an individual's health status in relation to his/her ability to perform the essential functions of a particular job. This evaluation may be requested to determine an individual's employability. The occupational medicine specialist can review submitted job analyses; determine if it is appropriate to return a worker to the time of injury position after a work-related injury or illness; determine if modifications are required to return to work; or to provide the company with data on current health status and factors involved in a successful return to work strategy.
Medical Surveillance and Certification Examinations
There are a number of examinations that are mandated by the U.S. government. Many Federal agencies require certification examinations for employees who work in safety sensitive positions, or who are exposed to substances known or suspected to cause disease. REOH offers many federally mandated surveillance examinations, as well as many federally mandated certification examinations. These include:
- OSHA Mandated Surveillance Examinations
- Asbestos
- Lead
- Cadmium
- 13 regulated carcinogens
- Ethylene oxide
- Formaldehyde
- Methylene chloride
- Methylenedianiline
- Hearing conservation
- OSHA mandated certification examinations
- Hazardous waste workers
- Respirator users
- DOT mandated certification examinations for commercial drivers