Wherever you are in your occupational health journey—whether you’re just launching a program or refining a mature, integrated operation—NAOHP offers the resources, tools, and guidance to help you advance with confidence. Occupational health programs don’t evolve in a straight line. They grow in stages, shaped by your organization’s goals, employer relationships, staffing, and operational maturity.
At NAOHP, we’ve supported hundreds of programs nationwide—from urgent care centers and hospital systems to standalone occ med clinics—each at a different point on the curve. What they all share is the need to progress intentionally, not just reactively. That’s where a tiered support model becomes especially helpful.
Let’s explore four common tiers of occupational health program development—and how NAOHP helps at each step.
Tier 1: Launch / Early Stage
Theme: Foundational Clarity & Intentional Communication
New or newly restructured programs often struggle with unclear roles, inconsistent services, and lack of alignment with employer expectations. Whether you’re adding occupational health to an existing urgent care or just starting to contract with employers, this stage is about defining your identity and laying a strong foundation.
NAOHP Helps You:
- Set up service lines using startup guides and templates
- Onboard staff with foundational training on regulations and workflows
- Establish clear communication protocols with employers
- Use practice playbooks to standardize exams, drug testing, and reporting
Tier 2: Stabilize & Organize
Theme: Operational Alignment & Accountability
At this stage, programs are seeing volume but often lack internal consistency. Clinical workflows vary by provider. Reporting and follow-up lag. Employers express frustration—or quietly disengage.
NAOHP Helps You:
- Conduct an operational assessment to identify gaps
- Implement standard protocols for exams, documentation, and communication
- Track results using metrics dashboards
- Strengthen leadership with certification programs for program directors and OHNs
Tier 3: Growth & Expansion
Theme: Strategic Partnering & Market Positioning
Once internal systems are stable, growth becomes the focus. This might mean expanding into new geographies, launching onsite services, or engaging more meaningfully with employer partners.
NAOHP Helps You:
- Use our Market Analyzer to identify employer demand and local competition
- Apply sales playbooks to build employer relationships with confidence
- Increase exposure via the OccMarket platform
- Launch turnkey onsite clinic and health fair toolkits to grow revenue and presence
Tier 4: Optimization & Integration
Theme: Total Worker Health & Systemwide Integration
For mature programs, the focus shifts toward integration—with HR, safety, benefits, and population health—and innovation. These programs recognize occupational health as a strategic lever for workforce wellbeing, retention, and cost control.
NAOHP Helps You:
- Build out Total Worker Health initiatives that unify health, safety, and productivity
- Access consulting and strategic planning services to align with organizational goals
- Benchmark your outcomes using peer metrics and analytics
- Share insights and learn from others at our national conference and peer forums
Your Journey, Our Guidance
Every occupational health program has the potential to move up the ladder—from startup to fully integrated workforce health partner. NAOHP exists to support that journey. Our flexible resources, industry expertise, and national network ensure that wherever you’re starting from, you don’t have to navigate growth alone.
Whether you’re troubleshooting inefficiencies, launching new services, or advocating for higher visibility within your health system—NAOHP is here to help you take the next step with clarity and purpose.
More Resources:
Recently released resources:
NAOHP Customer Service Excellence Guide
Service standards, staff training tips, client survey templates… it’s all in there.
💡 Grab your copy today it’s free! → Get the Guide
👉 Also see the Showcase 2025 – members only 14 video series on customer services and other vital front desk, MA and tech procedures
Virtual Ortho Solutions
Streamline orthopedic referrals and improve injury care outcomes. 🔗 Visit Virtual Ortho Solutions
Drug Testing Resources
Practice Brief: Medical Evaluation of Shy Bladder Cases in Drug Testing
Workers Comp
Workers Compensation Intake & Billing Procedures guide
Our newest guide:
How to Set Up a Successful Employer Health Fair: A Practical Guide for Occupational Health Teams
Thanks to all who have submitted resource requests – here are some recent ones, many of which we have covered, others we’ll be working on:
- industry standards of care for services: Standards of Care Manual
- customer service training: see above
- DOT regulations and guidelines – DOT Mentor Series
- Administrative Policies – P&P Manual
- Best Practices for the clinic – Standards of Care, Complete Resource Guide
- Marketing best practices – Marketing blogs and videos
- OSHA / CAOHC
- Benchmarks for FTE – see Dena’s JDA video, we’re working on it
- Sales Strategies
- Medical Work Status P&P – Occmed for Providers
- OSHA regulatory guidelines – tons on this, watch this overview
- How to run a successful Occupational Medicine Clinic – PLUS COME TO THE CONFERENCE!
- Vaccine information
- Fit for Duty exam process and format to document findings – covered in Occmed Provider course
- Blood Borne Pathogen Process – in Occmed for Providers, search NAOHP.com
- Employer engagement
