The rise of remote

Remote assessment and statutory health surveillance

Summary:

Remote assessment and health surveillance are staples of modern OH practice. Roger Cooke examines the evidence regarding remote health assessment, the benefits and potential risks, and its application to OH practice. He includes a particular focus on statutory health surveillance.

The COVID-19 pandemic changed the world in many ways. The impact on healthcare was enormous, with changes enforced by the overriding need to reduce risks of infection transmission. The consequences for occupational health (OH) practice were equally dramatic.

Before the pandemic, the generally accepted model of health practice centred on face-to-face consultations and assessments. There was relatively little impetus for developing remote systems in mainstream medical practice – other than for the delivery of healthcare to distant and/or inaccessible settings…

 

Dr Roger Cooke is a consultant in occupational medicine, with particular experience in vibration-related disease and carpal tunnel syndrome, both clinically and as a legal expert witness. He is the author of Hand-arm vibration syndrome: a guide for occupational health practitioners³¹.

 

Author: Cooke R

Tags health surveillance

Occupational Health at Work June/July 2024 (vol. 21/1) pp26-31

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