Annual activities of a regional occupational health service

The scope and content of the services provided by a regional, occupational health service are described in quantitative terms. Many of its activities are in compliance with state regulations. In this respect this service differs greatly from other, regular, clinical services. About 22,000 examinations are performed annually, and there are about 140,000 employed persons in the region, so that about 1 in 5 workers is examined by the service annually. The 3 main activities of the clinic are pre-employment examinations, periodic surveillance of certain groups of workers and evaluating work capacity. Most of the abnormal findings identified in such examinations relate to musculo-skeletal disorders, noise-induced hearing loss and, to a much lesser degree, lung and skin problems. Some of the ways in which service is provided in remote and small work sites are described, and issues of availability and accessibility presented. Based on the data collected, suggestions are made with respect to future changes, including computerization and quality assurance methods.