Jennifer L Eaton1, David C Mohr, Amir Mohammad, Steven Kirkhorn, Christina Gerstel-Santucci, Kathleen McPhaul, Michael J Hodgson. 1. From the Occupational Health Group (Dr Eaton, Dr Mohammad, Dr Kirkhorn, Ms Gerstel-Santucci, and Dr McPhaul), Office of Public Health, Veterans Health Administration; War Related Illness and Injury Study Center (Dr Eaton), Washington DC VA Medical Center; Center for Healthcare Organization and Implementation Research (Dr Mohr), Department of Veterans Affairs, VA Boston Healthcare System, Jamaica Plain; Department of Health Policy and Management (Dr Mohr), Boston University School of Public Health, Mass; Department of Internal Medicine (Dr Mohammad), VA Connecticut Healthcare System/Yale Occupational and Environmental Medicine Program, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Conn; and Office of Occupational Medicine (Dr Hodgson), Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Washington, DC.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Occupational and environmental medicine (OEM) physician specialty practices continue to grow in scope and intensity across the Veterans Health Administration. This study characterizes the implementation of a novel, nationwide telemedicine program that provides OEM specialty consultation to providers across the Veterans Health Administration. METHODS: We examined provider requests and specialist responses for a 6-month pilot from May to October 2013. Characteristics of consult users, determinants of case complexity, and specific applications of OEM specialty expertise were identified. RESULTS: Over a 6-month period, employee occupational health providers consulted the OEM telemedicine pilot a total of 65 times. Employee occupational health providers without formal training repeatedly identified complex cases related to work and disability. CONCLUSIONS: The program has created a new system management solution to deliver expert, in-depth consultation and real-time provider education in OEM.
OBJECTIVE: Occupational and environmental medicine (OEM) physician specialty practices continue to grow in scope and intensity across the Veterans Health Administration. This study characterizes the implementation of a novel, nationwide telemedicine program that provides OEM specialty consultation to providers across the Veterans Health Administration. METHODS: We examined provider requests and specialist responses for a 6-month pilot from May to October 2013. Characteristics of consult users, determinants of case complexity, and specific applications of OEM specialty expertise were identified. RESULTS: Over a 6-month period, employee occupational health providers consulted the OEM telemedicine pilot a total of 65 times. Employee occupational health providers without formal training repeatedly identified complex cases related to work and disability. CONCLUSIONS: The program has created a new system management solution to deliver expert, in-depth consultation and real-time provider education in OEM.
Authors: Sarah Sweeney; Kelly Coble; Elizabeth Connors; Kathleen Rebbert-Franklin; Christopher Welsh; Eric Weintraub Journal: Subst Abus Date: 2020-08-19 Impact factor: 3.716