Occupational Medicine Fact Sheet

							                               Is ThIs YOur CAllIng?

         MEDICInE Fact SHeet
                                 ou
                               Y may like occupational medicine so much that you may want
                               to specialize in occupational and environmental medicine (OEM).
                               If so, you must continue your medical education to acquire the
                               knowledge and skills the specialty demands. The American College
                               of Occupational and Environmental Medicine says physicians are
                               expected to be competent in these 10 areas:
       OCCuPATIOnAl
                               ■■   clinical■occupational■and■environmental■medicine;
                               ■■   occupational■and■environmental■medicine-related■law■and■regulations;
                               ■■   environmental■health;
                               ■■   work■fitness■and■disability■integration;
                               ■■   toxicology;
                               ■■   hazard■recognition,■evaluation,■and■control;
                               ■■   disaster■preparedness■and■emergency■management;
                               ■■   health■and■productivity;
                               ■■   public■health,■surveillance,■and■disease■prevention;■and
                               ■■   occupational■and■environmental■medicine-related■management■and■
                                    administration.
                               If you plan to offer OEM as part of your primary care practice, some of
                               these skills will be helpful to you as well.




KEYs to creating a contract
 Everything we know about occupational medicine we’ve
 learned at the school of hard knocks. Contracts are no
 exception. We learned as much from not having a contract
                                                                               SoUrce: gonZoLo FernanDeZ, MD & PaUL Lance WaLKer, Do




 as we did from hiring an expensive lawyer to write one for
 us. here are some key points to keep in mind:
 ■ simple is best. Keep■your■document■to■one■page.■People■are■
   leery■of■signing■wordy,■multi-page■contracts■filled■with■legal■
   terms■they■don’t■understand.
 ■ Cover the basics. Be■sure■to■include■details■such■as■the■
   services■you■will■provide,■the■number■of■years■you■will■provide■
                                                                               MeDicaL econoMicS, MaY 25, 2012




   them,■how■much■those■services■will■cost,■and■when■payment■is■
   required.
 ■ Be flexible. Consider■allowing■unsatisfied■clients■to■terminate■
   their■contracts.■When■a■client■no■longer■wants■to■work■with■you■
   or■you■cannot■resolve■an■issue,■don’t■hold■them■to■a■contract■
   they■no■longer■want■to■be■a■part■of.