Practical Strategies and Tools for Use by Occupational and Environmental Medicine Departments During COVID-19 Pandemic Surges. Issue 1 (January 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Guo, Andrew H.; Diaz-Caturan, Ma Visimee; Reis, Cesar; Carritte, Deborah; Smith, Brad M.T.; Wester, Yann O.; Hall, Susan L.
• Is Part Of: Journal of occupational and environmental medicine. Volume 64:Issue 1(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-01
• Subjects: algorithm -- call center -- cohabitation -- color-coded -- contact tracing -- COVID-19 -- documentation template -- employee occupational medicine: employee health -- severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)-CoV-2; Medicine, Industrial -- Periodicals; Environmental health -- Periodicals; Occupational Medicine -- Periodicals; Environmental Medicine -- Periodicals; Environmental health; Medicine, Industrial; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 616.9803
• DOI: 10.1097/JOM.0000000000002390
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1076-2752

Abstract

Abstract : Objectives: Occupational and environmental medicine (OEM) departments in healthcare institutions can be quickly overwhelmed when COVID-19 infection rates rapidly and simultaneously increase in the workforce and the patients served. Our goal is to present a detailed toolkit of practical approaches for use by front-line OEM specialists to address workforce management tasks during pandemic surges. Methods: Specific focus is on tasks related to employee symptom triage, exposure risk assessment, workplace contact tracing, and work restrictions. Results: Tools include strategies used by customer call centers, two decision support algorithms (exposure due to cohabitation or non-cohabitation), a color-coded employee case tracking tool, a contact tracing protocol, and documentation templates that serve as memory aids for encounters. Conclusions: These tools are created with commonly used software. Implementation is feasible in most front-line OEM settings, including those with limited resources. Abstract : Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text