Diagnosis of Occupational Illness

About one third of our lives are spent at work. Those learning to become doctors get no more than fours hours of training while in medical school learning about the diseases, injuries and illnesses likely to arise in workplaces.

The physician guiding our clinics is board-certified in Occupational Medicine, having received intense specialized training in this medical specialty. This training, more than two decades of experience, and a seasoned team of nurse practitioners bring their skills to bear on a patient’s medical problems—a focus not only on the symptoms, but the cause as well.

Is your illness work-related?

• Clinicians take a detailed work history to understand your working conditions and what you may have been exposed to
• The history is the key to determining the work relatedness of an illness or injury.
• Clinicians often follow-up the history with an analysis of exposure information provided by the employer, union, or regulatory agency.

When testing is advised

• Specialized testing can be performed at our clinics or at appropriate labs in the community. Such testing might include pulmonary tests, CT of the lungs, or blood tests for the presence of lead.

Once the role of the workplace in causing the illness has been understood, OHCC providers assess the impact the illness or injury has on the worker’s ability to work. This determination gives the patient a clear idea of what work limitations and capacities are, and under what conditions the worker can work safely and healthily.