About The Medical Examiner Registry
The medical examiner registry rules apply to all healthcare professionals, regardless of their experience or credentials: • whose scope of practice authorizes them to perform physical examinations, as defined by their state of licensure • who intend to perform physical examinations and issue medical certificates for CMV drivers in compliance with Medical Advisory Criteria for Evaluation Under the Requirements of 49 CFR 391.41 of the FMCSRs

The NAOHP Board held its winter quarter meeting on February 10, 2014, via teleconference. NAOHP Board President Dr. Steve Crawford and board members Debbie Borisjuk, Trena Williams, Mary Alice Ehrlich, Mike Schmidt, Marilyn Trinkle, Barbara Enochs, and Brenda Jacobsen were present. NAOHP coordinator Madeline Tan and VISIONS editor Isabelle Walker were also in attendance.

More than a half-million trucking accidents occur on U.S. roadways every year, with tragic and irreversible consequences. A 2007 University of Utah study reports that in 2003 there were 517 fatal injuries in the U.S. trucking industry––nine percent of all occupational health fatalities that year. It also happens that commercial drivers––long haul, regional, local and refrigerator truck drivers, plus bus and other municipal drivers––are at greater risk for chronic diseases like cardiovascular, high blood pressure, obesity, and diabetes than almost any other laborers.

Converging forces are creating a surge in demand for occupational health services, says Linda MacCracken, vice president, Truven Health Analytics, who spoke on health care marketing tactics at RYAN Associates’ 26th annual conference in October. Truven’s objective is to improve quality and lower the cost of health care through the better use of data and analytics.

In February 2009, St. Luke’s Hospital in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was about to embark on a social media campaign. Laura Rainey, the hospital’s marketing communications director, was asking herself, “Does my target customer, my audience, really want to hear from us via social media?” She was particularly skeptical about the use of Twitter as an outreach mechanism. “I thought, ‘Who’s really going to start a conversation when they are limited to only 140 characters?’” Ms. Rainey told occupational health professionals at RYAN Associates’ 26th annual national conference in October during a session on marketing in health care. Ms. Rainey put her doubts aside and gradually introduced social media to the Cedar Rapids community. She soon saw positive results. For example, the hospital scored national media coverage when it used Twitter to showcase a new surgical protocol. Meanwhile, it has been able to consistently build and maintain impressive online traffic. “I am committed to using social media as one of many tools in my marketing communications toolbox,” she said.

Clear and direct communication with employees can help employers avoid litigation, according to Gregory Andrews, a veteran attorney with Jackson Lewis, a national firm specializing in employment law. It may seem obvious, but many organizations do not heed this advice. Mr. Andrews offered valuable insights into employer-employee communication strategies at RYAN Associates’ 26th annual national conference on Providing Healthcare Services to Employers. Employers, particularly human resources and supervisory staff, should follow established communications strategies to avoid misunderstandings and conflicts with employees, he said.

To help occupational health providers transition to the new system, VISIONS tracked down Natalie Hartenbaum, M.D, M.P.H., a nationally recognized expert in occupational fitness for duty, to ask her a few questions. We also include an excerpt of the white paper, “Gearing up for new Medical Examination Requirements,” written by former VISIONS Editor Karen O’Hara and originally published by UL Workplace Health & Safety (ulworkplace.com)––a member of the NAOHP Vendor Program.