Protecting health care workers from the occupational risk of disease

Recent medical literature has voiced growing concern over the potential spread of human immunodeficiency virus and hepatitis B among health care workers. In response to this concern, the Central Ohio Medical Group developed an infection control policy involving employee immunizations, needle stick protection protocols, and protocols for handling potentially infectious material. Although it is too soon to measure the infection control policy's health effects, the existence of a consistent set of policies and procedures has succeeded in alleviating apprehension among employees.