GTEC Discusses the Benefits of Occupational Medicine on the News
At Golden Triangle Emergency Center we are proud of our emergency care for occupational injuries and the many benefits it offers both patients and the greater community. That is why we were so pleased recently when Angela Webb, our Director of Emergency Services, had the opportunity to go on KFDM Channel 6 news and discuss the emergency care of occupational injuries with newscaster Nicole Murray.
The Conventional ER Treatment Model
As Angela Webb explained under the traditional ER treatment model a worker may come into the emergency room due to a workplace accident or health concern, immediately receive treatment for the injury, and then be out of work for weeks recovering. The problem is that this can have a serious negative impact on the patient financially because the patient will likely be unable to work while they are recovering. Meanwhile the industrial plant or jobsite is also losing the benefit and productivity associated with that employee’s labor and they also likely now have an OSHA reportable or recordable event on their record. This is something we at Golden Triangle Emergency Center aim to avoid with our emergency care for occupational injuries.
GTEC’s Emergency Care for Occupational Injuries
By contrast at GTEC our emergency care for occupational injuries is designed to help get the patient back to work more quickly without compromising care or endangering the patient’s health. We are able to do this by first having our ER physicians evaluate and if necessary stabilize the patient. Then before more intensive treatment is performed our ER physicians consult with specialized occupational medicine provider. These specialist are able to make treatment recommendations based on workplace demands and the job duties of the employee. Together our ER physician and the occupational medicine provider can often formulate an individualized plan that gets the patient back to work more quickly with less invasive treatment.
This in turn benefits the employee by helping them resume their normal day-to-day and work activities more quickly, thereby relieving some of the financial strain that may be associated with time away from work. Meanwhile the employer also benefits by having fewer OSHA reportable and recordable events on their record and by maintaining their workforce and productivity. Often the worker will have certain temporary restrictions while they are recovering, but they may still be able to safely perform many of their regular job tasks.
Patient Care Always Comes First
We also want to emphasize that patient care always comes first. Our recommendations and treatment plans are always designed to be in the best interest of the patient’s overall health and well-being.