Current Issues and Updates in Medical Center Occupational Health

TRACK: OEM Clinical Practice

Amy J. Behrman, MD, FACOEM, FACP, University of Pennsylvannia, Philadelphia, PA
William George Buchta, MD, MPH, MS, FACOEM, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN
Lawrence D. Budnick, MD, MPH, FACOEM, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ
Michael J. Hodgson, MD, MPH, OSHA, Washington, DC
Maria C. Lanzi, MS, MPH, APN-BC, COHN-S, MCL Global Health, LLC, Hamilton, NJ
Francesca K. Litow, MD, MPH, FACOEM, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD
Robin G. Molella, MD, MPH, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN
Mark Russi, MD, MPH, FACOEM, Yale New Haven Hospital, New Haven, CT
Scott Spillman, MD, MPH, FAADEP, FACOEM, Danville Regional Medical Center, Danville, VA
Melanie Swift, MD, FACOEM, Vanderbilt University and Medical Center, Nashville, TN
Tanisha K. Taylor, MD, MPH, FACOEM, Barnabas Health Corporate Care, Lakewood, NJ
Wendy Thanassi, MA, MD, Office of Public Health, Palo Alto, CA

Healthcare workers (HCWs) have high injury rates and face an array of occupational hazards. Occupational medicine physicians caring for this vulnerable population confront specialized clinical challenges in a complex regulatory milieu. Hospitals and healthcare systems may provide these services directly or contract with local OEM practices. In either setting, OEM physicians are needed to provide
clinical and administrative leadership. This session will highlight areas of current consensus and controversy in Medical Center Occupational Health and provide a concise user-friendly guide to the field, enabling participants to understand HCWs’ unique medical risks and know how to access the resources they need to manage clinical care and program development. Divided into 3 sections with ample time for audience questions, the session will feature three parts. Part I (8:30am-9:30am): Update on HCW Immunization recommendations and implementation strategies to improve safety and reduce infection risks for healthcare personnel and patients. HCW vaccination programs can illuminate current national issues with vaccine mandates, adult immunization compliance, vaccine efficacy and adult vaccine hesitancy. In addition, HCW immunization presents opportunities to interface with the public health community for outbreak prevention and pandemic preparedness. With its complex epidemiology, variable vaccine efficacy, and need for annual immunization, influenza can provide particular insights into workplace vaccination opportunities and concerns. This session will present recent experiences in transitioning to mandatory influenza vaccination programs at large academic medical centers with a focus on operational, ethical and legal issues. Part II (9:45am-10:45am): Update on tuberculosis (TB) screening and management for HCWs. Faculty will review current TB epidemiology, new diagnostic and treatment options for latent TB infection, focusing on the newer, blood-based IGRAs, and key procedural considerations for screening programs. Current CDC screening recommendations and guidelines will be reviewed. Examples of screening programs in hospital, public health and Veterans Health Administration settings will be discussed, particularly in comparison with the previous standard of TST use. A toolkit with samples of policies and procedures will be shared. Part III (11:00am-12:00pm): MCOH Section faculty will review the newly updated “2015 Guidance for Occupational Health Services in Medical Centers” with an emphasis on new developments and recommendations. Topics will include prevention and exposure management for biologic, chemical and physical hazards in the healthcare workplace; reproductive hazards for healthcare workers;
workplace violence; and laboratory animal worker safety. The session will comprise focused presentations and substantial time for questions. This session was organized by the Medical Center Occupational Health Special Interest Section. This session may be of particular interest to residents and recent graduates.