Twelve Years of Occupational Health Services for Health Workers: Accreditation System Implemented in the Hospitals Across Thailand
Untimanon O, PhD1, Promrat A, MPH1, Boonmeephong K, MSc1, Laplue A, BSc1, Siriruttanapruk S, MD, PhD2
Affiliation : 1 Occupational and Environmental Health Development Center, Samut Prakan, Department of Disease Control, Ministry of Public Health, Nonthaburi, Thailand 2 Department of Disease Control, Ministry of Public Health, Nonthaburi, Thailand
Background : The present study aimed to describe the occupational health (OH) services program provided to health workers
(HWs) using the concept of quality assurance.
Materials and Methods: The present study was descriptive in design and involved data from the OH services for HWs project
conducted by the Occupational and Environmental Health Development Center, Samut Prakan.
Results : The OH services program has been available to all hospitals since 2007. The OH services guideline including 3 components
and a quality assurance system has been developed and applied to accredit the hospitals. The auditors were trained and technical
guidelines were developed and provided. Until 2016, 100% of regional/general hospitals participated in the program and currently
they have been developed and participated to OH services program which address OH services for all kinds of working populations.
Later in 2018, 591 (75.7%), community hospitals, which are under the Ministry of Public Health, have participated in the program.
Of these, 230 (38.9%) hospitals achieved the excellent level (level 5). Data during 2014 to 2017 revealed that HWs were exposed to
a variety of occupational hazards including ergonomic hazards (20 to 25%), biological hazards (15 to 22%), physical hazards (11
to 13%), psychological hazards (12 to 19%), chemical hazards (10 to 12%) and unsafe work conditions (11 to 15%). Most of HWs
(80 to 100%) could obtain the annual health examination. Among them, 35 to 40% had BMI over 22.9 kg/m2 and 10 to 60% had high
triglyceride levels over 150 mg/dL. Meanwhile, 5 to 7% of HWs had an abnormal audiogram, 10 to 20% had abnormal spirogram
and 33 to 35%, had an abnormal vision test. Influenza vaccination coverage was over 80% among HWs.
Conclusion : Such OH services program was evaluated following the quality control system. It was a voluntary program, therefore,
some of the hospitals did not adhere to or conduct OH services activities continually. Community hospitals should establish the OH
services for HWs role into organizational structure and set up OH policy to strengthen the services continuity.
Short running title: Twelve years of occupational health services for health workers.
Keywords : Occupational health services, Health workers, Hospital, Accreditation
