Process quality indicators for general clinical occupational health practice.

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health
• Quality Improvement
• Clinical Practice

Background:

• Occupational health (OH) clinical process quality indicators are crucial for quality improvement in OH practice.
• Effective quality indicators enhance the overall standard of OH services.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop generic quality indicators (QI) for improving OH practice.
• Focus on enhancing the return-to-work process for sick-listed individuals.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature search of governmental and academic websites.
• Analysis of studies for interventions reducing sickness absence or improving return-to-work rates.
• Thematic categorization and expert review to develop draft QI, followed by piloting in six OH departments.

Main Results:

• Six studies met inclusion criteria from 1605 retrieved reports.
• Four QI were developed focusing on work modifications, appointment timeliness, patient satisfaction, and report quality.
• Pilot testing confirmed the feasibility and ease of implementation of the QI in clinical settings.

Conclusions:

• Four general QI for occupational health practice have been successfully developed.
• The pilot study validated the feasibility and ease of implementation of these QI in clinical OH departments.