Employee Health Service

(718) 963-7770

Scope

The EHS serves all employees and volunteers of the Wyckoff Heights Medical Center in an ambulatory setting.

Types/Ages of Patients

Medical Staff, Medical Students, employees and most volunteers are adults over the age of eighteen. High School volunteers are adolescents ages sixteen (16) through eighteen (18).

Methods Used to Assess Needs/Complexity of Employee Needs/Extent to Which Services Provide for Employee Needs

All candidates for employment go through a health screening process prior to offer of employment. A health history self-assessment questionnaire is completed by the prospective employee and reviewed by the EHS nurse and physician to identify areas of concern. A laboratory and general diagnostic work-up is conducted. This includes an informed consent screening for drugs of abuse, conducted according to a chain-of-custody process. Results are reviewed and a physician examination is performed. The prospective employee is cleared for employment after assessment of laboratory, diagnostic and physical assessment findings are completed and found to be within normal limits and candidate is deemed to be in a satisfactory state of health. Vaccination history and communicable disease titers are reviewed for possible intervention(s). All candidates are also P.P.D./Quantiferon tested.

Annual physician screening and exam is conducted for all employees. P.P.D./Quantiferon re-testing is done on all employees, based on the principles of risk assessment. Those at higher risk for exposure are tested on a more frequent basis than those employees deemed to be at lower risk, Criteria are designed to measure risk at points in time correlating to exposure durations during the course of the individual’s employment.

Employees are cleared for duty after the Medical/Maternity Leave of Absence through the EHS.

All candidates, at time of pre-employment screening and incumbent employees, on an annual basis, who function in a food preparation/handling capacity, have stool sampling for ova/parasites and salmonella.

Employees who become ill or are injured on the job during the hours of operation are referred to EHS for initial evaluation and disposition. They are then referred to the Emergency Department or their primary care provider for additional treatment and/or follow-up.

Employees who have documented blood/body fluid exposure or needlestick injury are followed by EHS for appropriate testing, monitoring, indicated treatment(s) and follow-up or support.

Support Services

A full complement of support services is available to the EHS. These services include:

Recognized Standards and Practice Guidelines

The practice of hospital-based occupational medicine is defined by the Federal, State, City and other regulatory bodies, as well as the Hospital’s mission and corporate values and the department’s objectives, policies, procedures and guidelines.