Occupational Medicine Now Available at Perryville Immediate Convenient Care
Employers in the Perryville area now have access to Saint Francis Occupational Medicine Clinic with the opening of a satellite clinic inside Immediate Convenient Care – Perryville.
Led by Dennis J. Straubinger, DO, MPH, MRO board certified occupational medicine physician at Saint Francis, the program’s team of professionals is available Thursday mornings. Services to Business offers a full range of screenings, seminars and services designed to prevent and manage injury and illness.
In addition to evaluation and treatment of all types of work-related injuries, the Occupational Medicine Clinic offers DOT exams, pre-employment and periodic physicals, drug screenings, Fitness for Duty exams and causation determinations. On-site services are available by appointment.
Immediate Convenient Care – Perryville is a walk-in medical office. Clinic hours are 8 am-7 pm weekdays, 8 am-5 pm Saturdays, and 9 am-3 Sundays. In addition, the Occupational Medicine Clinic at Saint Francis in Cape Girardeau is open weekdays from 8 am-5 pm.
Services to Business offers employers timely service and communication about the health status of their employees while providing employees with optimal quality of care. Our program provides a full spectrum of health resources for regional employers, including wellness programs, pain management, outpatient rehabilitation and others. On-site physician or nursing services are also available.
For more information on the Services to Business program, call Alex Ogburn, MBA, director of Occupational Health Services at Saint Francis Medical Center, at 573-331-5563, or email him at aogburn@sfmc.net.
Costs of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses Continue to Climb
Costs associated with work-related injuries and illnesses have increased by more than $33 billion in the past 15 years, according to a recent study published in the healthcare journal Milbank Quarterly.
Occupational injuries and illnesses in the U.S. cost about $250 billion annually, which is more than the direct and indirect costs of cancer, diabetes and strokes, according to the study.
On the bright side, the Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics announced there were 3.1 million nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses in 2010, which is approximately 200,000 fewer than the previous year and less than half that of 1994.
The overall rate of nonfatal occupational injury and illness cases requiring days away from work to recuperate remained steady in 2010. The incidence rate for all occupations in the public sector was approximately two-thirds higher than in the private sector.
Janitors and cleaners had a public-sector incidence rate nearly three times that of their counterparts in the private sector, while landscaping and grounds keeping workers had a rate more than twice that of the private sector.
Scaffolding and fall protection standards maintained their status as the top two most frequently cited standards following inspections of worksites by OSHA during fiscal year 2011.
The study notes that workers’ compensation covers less than 25 percent of costs, which suggests that employer-provided insurance, Medicare or Medicaid absorb most of the costs, and many occupational health issues go unresolved.
For more information on the Services to Business program, call Alex Ogburn, MBA, director of Occupational Health Services at Saint Francis Medical Center, at 573-331-5563, or email him at aogburn@sfmc.net.
Allergy Season Brings Mixed Results for Employee Productivity
Spring weather brings a mixed bag of productivity issues for employers. While more sunlight and warmer temperatures generally boost employee energy levels, the onset of allergy season means some employees will not feel 100 percent.
According to the National Institutes of Health, at least 50 million people in the U.S. suffer from some type of allergy. That means more than one in every six employees will struggle with allergy symptoms ranging from headaches to runny noses. That figure may be as high as one in two workers in urban areas.
Some of the symptoms are similar between colds and allergies. However, colds usually run their course in about a week while allergy sufferers continue to feel the effects over an extended period. In fact, about half of all allergy sufferers experience symptoms throughout the year.
Antihistamines are a common treatment for both colds and allergies, yet they also have their drawbacks. The potential side effects of drowsiness, dizziness, headache and upset stomach can offset the positives workers may feel from the decrease in allergy symptoms.
The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology offers some tips for those who suffer from seasonal allergies:
- Wash bed sheets weekly in hot water
- Always bathe and wash hair before bed (pollen can collect on skin and hair throughout the day)
- Do not hang clothes outside to dry where they can trap pollens
- Wear a filter mask when mowing or working outdoors
- Be aware of local pollen counts
- Keep windows and car windows closed; use air conditioning if possible in your car and in a building
- Perform a thorough spring cleaning of your home, including replacing heating and A/C filters
- Check bathrooms and other damp areas for mold and mildew, and remove visible mold with nontoxic cleaners
- Keep pets out of the bedroom and off the furniture, especially if they have been outdoors
Should employees’ actions not alleviate their problems, employers can recommend a visit to their local primary care physician who may make additional recommendations up to and including prescription medications and referral to an allergist/immunologist.
For more information on the Services to Business program, call Alex Ogburn, MBA, director of Occupational Health Services at Saint Francis Medical Center, at 573-331-5563, or email him at aogburn@sfmc.net.