A COVID-19 monitoring process for healthcare workers utilizing occupational health
Abstract Background Hospital-based occupational health (HBOH) is uniquely positioned to not only prevent severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) transmission, but to care for healthcare workers (HCWs) sick with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Aims The primary objective of t...
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| Published in: | Occupational medicine (Oxford) Vol. 74; no. 1; pp. 71 - 77 |
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , |
| Format: | Journal Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
UK
Oxford University Press
19-02-2024
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| Online Access: | Get full text |
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| Summary: | Abstract
Background
Hospital-based occupational health (HBOH) is uniquely positioned to not only prevent severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) transmission, but to care for healthcare workers (HCWs) sick with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
Aims
The primary objective of this study is to describe a system where HBOH services were adapted to provide a monitoring programme whereby HCWs with SARS-CoV-2 received daily evaluations and treatment options in order to improve access to care, and to report the clinical outcomes and predictors of hospitalization in HCWs enrolled in the programme. A secondary objective is to compare clinical outcomes to data on national HCWs with COVID-19.
Methods
This retrospective cohort study used survey data collected on HCWs at a university health system with COVID-19 from 1 March 2020 through 1 December 2021. A firth regression model was used to examine the unadjusted and adjusted association between clinical factors and hospitalization.
Results
The study cohort included 4814 HCWs with COVID-19. Overall hospitalizations were 119 (2%), and there were six deaths (0.12%). Predictors of hospitalization include several co-morbidities and symptoms. A total of 1835 HCWs monitored before vaccine or monoclonal antibody availability were compared with data on U.S. HCWs in a similar time period. The monitored HCWs had a lower rate of co-morbidities (19% versus 44%, P < 0.001), a lower hospitalization rate (3% versus 8% P < 0.001) and case-fatality rate (0.11% versus 0.95% P < 0.001).
Conclusions
This monitoring strategy for COVID-19 may be feasible for HBOH systems to implement and improve access to care, but more data are needed to determine if it improves outcomes.
Hospital-based occupational health services are uniquely positioned to care for healthcare workers who are sick with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). This study describes how a health system in the USA utilized occupational medicine physicians and nurses to provide monitoring and treatment referrals for HCWs with COVID-19 during the height of the pandemic, and it reports clinical outcomes and factors associated with hospitalization. |
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| Bibliography: | ObjectType-Article-1 SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1 ObjectType-Feature-2 content type line 23 |
| ISSN: | 0962-7480 1471-8405 |
| DOI: | 10.1093/occmed/kqad114 |