Meredith,
We are facing similar challenges:
·
We have eliminated annual TB testing in most of our non clinical staff, off site clinics and ambulatory centers unless they meet the criteria for >six TB patients identified in a year..which none of
them do at this time. We do QFTs on hire and then only post exposure testing for the low risk staff. Most clinical staff at our main facility are tested and make an appt with our EHS clinic for TST and fit testing.
·
We developed an annual health screening tool on our employee portal (Sharepoint) that all employees complete at the time of their annual performance review (based on hire date). Based on the answers
to the questions, the employee is either directed NOT to report to EHS for TB testing/fit testing or told to report to us. IT then links them directly to our appt scheduler.
·
We have one dedicated phone that the off site areas can call during our office hours for fitness for duty/exposures. We handle most of the issues on the phone and have “exposure kits” at each off
site location. For the rare times we have an impaired employee, we send them to us in a cab.
·
Our salaried nurses (3 RN clinicians , 2 managers and 2 ARNPs) take one week of call every 7 weeks and have to handle any afterhours issues, including our off site free standing ambulatory ED that is
open 24/7.
·
We contract with an afterhours drug testing company if we need a probable cause drug screen at any of our facilities, including main hospital.
JoAnn
JoAnn Shea, ARNP, MS, COHN-S
Director, Employee Health & Wellness
Work: 813-844-7692 Cell: 813-789-3441 FAX; 813-844-8144 Email: jshea@tgh.org
From: MCOH-EH [mailto:mcoh-eh-bounces+deborah.sampson=snhhs.org@mylist.net]
On Behalf Of Weaver Meredith
Sent: Wednesday, January 25, 2017 3:58 PM
To: 'mcoh-eh@mylist.net'
Subject: [External] [MCOH-EH] Growing Pains for Centralized Employee Health
We are facing the challenges of providing employee health services to healthcare system that is growing a very rapid pace. New clinics, off-site locations, and departments are being added monthly, if not weekly. I have two questions for
the group.
1.
One of our greatest challenges is in administering our tuberculosis testing program. We currently place PPDs based upon the designated month for the employee’s department. It is becoming more and more difficult to manually update and
maintain a list that is then tied to our electronic employee health record. How do you administer your TB program? Do you designate testing by department by month, by the employee’s birth date, etc.? What challenges or advantages have you seen with your
particular program method?
2.
If your healthcare system has gone through or is going through rapid growth, how have you managed providing fitness for duty testing and exposure management follow up to your off-site employees? Do you outsource, contract with other
hospitals, travel, etc.?
/
Meredith R. Weaver, SHRM-CP
Manager, Employee Health
WVU Medicine
PO Box 8120
Morgantown, WV 26506-8120
Phone: 304-598-4000 ext. 77719
Clinic: 304-598-4160
Fax: 304-598-4957
WVUMedicine.com
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