[MCOH-EH] : Fitness for Duty role for EH/OH and best practices for maintaining confidentiality

[Tim Crump]

Happy Friday everyone, In our Occupational Health dept, we are planning to take a role in Fitness for Duty Evaluations.

We are currently developing a new FFD policy for our institution.  In our department, we have clinicians (nurse practitioners as well as nurses) who will assist with the process.  Our plan is that, when a Fitness for Duty evaluation is necessary for an employee, we will assist the employee in setting up a timely evaluation with the appropriate practitioner or specialist (usually of the employee's choosing, but occasionally of our institutions choosing, in which case we would pay), and receive the results of the evaluation and interface with the provider if clarifications are necessary.  We plan to have the employee sign a release of info allowing the provider to share all results applicable to the concern, including any diagnosis, limitation, etc.  All the info we receive would be stored in our confidential EHR system and we would share with other entities (e.g. HR, employee manager, etc) only the determination (i.e. is fit, can be fit, or is not fit for duty) as well as any limitations or suggested accommodations and only on a need-to-know basis.

For other Employee Health/Occupational Health Departments involved in Fitness for Duty issues, do you have similar approaches around confidentiality?  Is having the employee sign a release of information a required part of the process or voluntary, only if the employee wishes our assistance and advocacy?  Are there any concerns with a part of the institution (i.e. us) having this level of access to employee medical record (i.e. diagnosis and other info related to the concern) even when it is handled with medical-grade confidentiality?  Does anyone mind sharing their release of information template?

Thanks as always for the help.  Warmly, Tim

Tim Crump, MSN, FNP
Tim Crump, MSN, FNP
He/Him/They/Them
Family Nurse Practitioner
Multnomah Pavilion (Second Floor, SW Wing), 3161 SW Pavilion Loop
Occupational Health
Healthcare Human Resources

+ ASIST Trained Caregiver<https://www.ohsu.edu/education/suicide-prevention>

Oregon Health & Science University
Occupational Health
3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Rd,
Mail code: UHN 89
Portland, OR 97239-3098
Department Phone: 503-494-5271
Office Phone: 503-494-5184
Fax: 503-494-4457
Email: crumpt at ohsu.edu<mailto:crumpt at ohsu.edu>

Wed-Fri, 7:30-6:00

[cid:image001.gif at 01DC6B4E.AD50FF60]

The information contained in this EMAIL message is confidential and protected by law. The information is intended only for the person or business identified in the document. If you are not the intended recipient, by sharing or copying the information you are breaking the law. If you have received this EMAIL by mistake, please notify the sender of this EMAIL and do not return, copy or keep the information in the EMAIL.

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <https://mylist.net/archives/mcoh-eh/attachments/20251212/8f4865a1/attachment.htm>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: image001.gif
Type: image/gif
Size: 5092 bytes
Desc: image001.gif
URL: <https://mylist.net/archives/mcoh-eh/attachments/20251212/8f4865a1/attachment.gif>