Occupational medicine is the field of medicine that focuses on the treatment and prevention of work related injuries and illnesses. The goal of occupational health and safety specialists is to build safe, injury- free workplace resulting in increased participation of employees in their workplace and a stronger, trustworthy employer-employee relationship. They achieve this by treating patients and help them improve and regain health to continue their profession. Additionally, occupational medicine specialist’s boost health of their patients through rehabilitation practices, risk analysis, policy recommendation for a safe workplace, research on work related health issues and compliance with health and safety regulations.
Importance of Occupational Medicine
There were approximately 2.9 million nonfatal (source: BLS) and 5,190 fatal works related injuries recorded in the United States in 2016 (Source: BLS) and the cost of US worker disability in US is $7256 per person per year (Fed BLS 2000)
Streamlined occupational health management system enhances workers productivity by reducing accidents and injuries, ensuring work place safety leading to robust employee health and greater cost-benefits for the employer.
EHR software optimizes Occupational Medicine Management
EHR software provides various functionalities in occupational medicine treatment – better communication and secure messaging between patients, providers and physicians, various modules for documentation, medical evaluations, and post accident record keeping and more. Today, occupational medicine providers are increasingly using EHR software to improve worker productivity and lower healthcare costs for the employer.
Key enhancements in EHR tailored towards Occupational Medicine
- Employer Portal – Employer portal provides ease of sharing patient’s health information between provider, employer and employee, includes drug and alcohol testing, work status reports, pre and post-surgery evaluation and worker’s compensation reports.
- Employer Billing and Invoicing – Provides secure portal access to employers to view work status reports, invoices with claims, and outstanding payments.
- Employer Protocols – Employers find it beneficial to develop and implement protocols for pre- employment physicals, tests and injuries. Employer protocol is specific to individual employers and can be segregated on the basis of various departments within an organization.
- Case Management Module – Employers are increasingly using integrated solutions to improve employee health and productivity. Case Management helps in assessing, planning, and managing an employee’s health needs in a cost-effective and efficient manner. It tracks workers compensation along with other claims and keeps a check on employee’s progress related to absences, work restrictions and expected return date.
- Randomized algorithm for Drug Testing – This provision provides greater confidence to employers to hire, and work with employees who are drug free. Employers conduct pre-employment physicals, and mental evaluations (as required) to confirm readiness for employment. Random testing discourages drug use among employees creating alertness and harmony in workplace.
PrognoCIS EHR software provides all these tools along with custom templates for injury treatment, specialty and therapeutic care, DOT related testing and urgent care procedures making Occupational Medicine Management cost-effective, reliable and easily accessible.
