Providing a Warm Hand-off: Connecting Safety-Net Providers with Occupational Health Consultation

CME/MOC: 2.0
TRACK: OEM Education and Scientific Research

Cristina Demian, MD, MPH, University of Rochester Finger Lakes Occupational Health Services, Rochester, NY
Tillman Farley, MD, Salud Family Health Center, Fort Lupton, CO
Katherine H. Kirkland, DrPH, MPH, Association of Occupational and Environmental Clinics, Washington, DC
Scott Morris, MD, MPH, FACOEM, Valley Medical Center of the University of Washington, Seattle, WA
Nicholas K. Reul, MD, MPH, Washington State Department of Labor and Industries, Olympia, WA
Rosemary Sokas, MD, MOH, FACOEM, Georgetown University, Washington, DC

Low-wage, high-risk working populations often employed at small or marginal enterprises and frequently lack access to occupational health services. However, these workers may have access to safety net primary care through a network of federally qualified health centers and their look-alikes. Primary care clinicians in these settings often feel unprepared to address occupational health, are burdened addressing many other health needs, and are often unaware of existing occupational medicine expertise for referral or curbside consult. Potential resources include occupational health clinic networks in two states, Washington and New York, and occupational health and migrant clinicians network organizations, each of which has implemented programs to facilitate occupational health services. This session will review the needs and resources, examine what works and what doesn’t work, and explore approaches that the Underserved Occupational Populations Special Interest Section or ACOEM might pursue to develop and evaluate solutions. This session was organized by the Underserved Occupational Populations Special Interest Section.