[Role of occupational medicine in Corporate Health and Safety Management Systems in health care]

Ruolo della Medicina del Lavoro nei Sistemi di Gestione per la Salute e Sicurezza Aziendale in sanità

The occupational physician is (or better, compared to the current reality, it should be) fully involved in the activities of construction and update of Occupational health and safety management systems. To carry out the full this role the occupational physician must mobilize all its powers in respect of all the tasks that are expected by the Legislative Decree 81/08 and subsequent amendments Particularly in hospital and healthcare sector, which normally have a complex joint and several levels of responsibility, the occupational physician must give his fundamental contribution on aspects related to the assessment and prevention of risks to health and safety, as well of course those related to health surveillance. The particular risks in health (biohazard, chemical, carcinogenic, ergonomic, work-related stress, for example need to be properly dealt with, knowledge and unique experiences of the occupational physician. In addition there are to consider aspects relevant in the healthcare sector, related to clinical risk and in any case risk for third. Among the various methodologies and instruments it is necessary to remember the importance of the information flow, which it is nowadays often computerized, which, starting from the risks assessment and from the health surveillance data, taking into account the safeguards relating to security and privacy of sensitive data, must invest all subjects involved at various levels in the prevention process.