Authors (including presenting author) :
LM Yau(1)(2), Y Kwan(1)(2), LY Pun(1),2, PF Chan1, PK Kwok1,2, YM Ng1,2, DVK Chao1
Affiliation :
1. Department of Family Medicine and Primary Health Care, KEC 2. Occupational Medicine Care Service, KEC
Introduction :
Studies showed that early return-to-work (RTW) is beneficial for physical and psychological wellbeing of workers. Occupational Medicine Care Service (OMCS) of KEC, established since 2008, is a corporate occupational health service aiming at prompt coordinated care for staff with health problems affecting work by a multidisciplinary team.
Objectives :
To review the service and output of KEC OMCS.
Methodology :
This is a descriptive review of the service content of KEC OMCS. A client satisfaction survey was conducted in 2018 and Injury-on-duty (IOD) sick leave rate in 2018 and 2019 was reviewed.
Result & Outcome :
Over the past 10 years, KEC OMCS had built a multidisciplinary network of clinical service with ongoing enhancement to facilitate staff RTW. Staff with IOD or any other illnesses affecting work capacity would be offered medical assessment and treatment by occupational medicine (OM) clinic. Prompt rehabilitative service, including physiotherapy and occupational therapy, would be arranged. Suitable modified duty would be recommended according to assessments. Other coordinated clinical services included OM / Orthopaedic joint clinic, fast tract Pain Clinic and early magnetic resonance imaging. Apart from clinical care, communication was another pillar of our service. Care manager would keep close contact with both staff and supervisors to ensure smooth and safe RTW with consent of the staff. On-site workplace visit could be arranged for indicated cases. Close collaboration by use of reminders was established, between OM, Staff and Orthopaedic clinics, to ensure coordinated management plan. Regular communication with Occupational Safety and Health Team was also maintained, to reduce potential workplace hazards. For staff with significant work difficulties in original workplace, we worked with Human Resource Division to facilitate the redeployment process with job matching advice. Over 3000 staff were under our care since 2008, in which 79% were IOD related. Median satisfaction score for our service was 9 out of 10 in the 2018 survey. There was a 47% drop in IOD related sick leave rate from 2018 to 2019. In 2018, 91% of our staff resumed work within 6 months after receiving our service. Conclusion: KEC OMCS built a successful model in preventing a negative impact on individual wellbeing due to absenteeism, and alleviating corporate manpower loss.
