Medical Surveillance Program
Occupational Medicine is a health care field which addresses the health and productivity of employees. It does not function as traditional medicine - where the patient’s medical care is the only focus. It attempts to prevent illness and injuries through Medical Surveillance and provides prompt medical attention to occupational injuries in order to return the employee to a productive work life.
The Medical Surveillance Program administered by the University of Michigan Department of Occupational Safety and Environmental Health (OSEH) prevents occupational illness and injury among employees by "monitoring" certain health indicators that give clues to potential exposures and injury risks. The University endeavors to provide a workplace generally free from overt health hazards, and OSEH works to assure this is so through workplace inspections and accident investigations. Workplace risks for exposure or injury can generally be anticipated, recognized, evaluated, and controlled through conventional safety and industrial hygiene methods. These are not perfect, however. Medical surveillance detects inapparent or unsuspected cases before they can become serious or lead to permanent injury.
Medical surveillance is often called "medical monitoring", because certain health parameters are monitored that correspond to specific occupational risks. For instance, if an employee has occupational exposure to lead, either through paint-removal operations, or handling of lead bricks for radiation shielding, or application of lead-containing pottery glazes, their respirator or other protective measures may fail and they may receive an overexposure. This overexposure may be inapparent, even though it’s hazardous to their long-term health. They should receive medical monitoring for that exposure risk through yearly blood draw and blood-lead-level analysis. Also, a negative-pressure respirator will place a cardiovascular stress on the employee that presents a health risk if they have a medical impairment. A physical examination, abbreviated just for this risk, will verify that the employee is physically fit to perform their work while wearing a respirator. This testing includes pulmonary function testing to verify the employee’s lungs are healthy and can provide enough oxygen under work and respirator stresses. All this testing is provided by an approved occupational medical service provider, through the Medical Surveillance Program. These are just two examples of a number of medical protocols designed to address the specific work conditions and potential risks of various occupations at the University of Michigan.
The approved occupational medical provider employs physicians and nurses licensed and certified in occupational medicine and its various specialty functions. The provider works with OSEH to assure that all testing is administered properly, medical physician’s determinations are delivered in a timely fashion, and records are adequately maintained. These activities are regulated by standards set by the federal Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and corresponding State of Michigan rules and regulations.
The confidentiality of your medical records and test results is protected under the law. The University only receives a simple physician’s determination as to whether or not an employee is physically fit to work under the stressors presented by their work environment and personal protective equipment. The University receives no test results or diagnoses concerning the employee’s general health or particular conditions. If an employee is determined to not be physically fit for a particular type of work or task, this will be discussed in detail with the employee and noted as a restriction on the physician’s determination.
Administration of the Medical Surveillance Program can be functionally divided into four areas:
- identification of at-risk employees via. job title or tasks,
- setting standards of testing and reporting,
- medical administration - tracking, scheduling of appointments, and internal recordkeeping,
- continuous screening, auditing, and quality assurance for the various program aspects.
If you are determined to be covered under regulatory requirements for medical surveillance, you will be notified through your supervisor and entered into the program. OSEH has written guidelines that describe internal procedures, quality of services, and regulatory responsibilities.
If you have any questions, please contact Donna Capron, Medical Surveillance Coordinator, at 5-2140.