Transcription:
Occupational Medicine

Introduction: Riverside Healthcare puts the health and wellness information you need. Well Within Reach.

Katie Salwei: Thank you for tuning into the Well Within Reach Podcast. I'm your host, Katie Salwei and joining me today is Occupational Health and Safety Employer Liaison Larry Regnier. Larry specializes in creating partnerships with businesses to reduce their healthcare costs and to help encourage employee health and safety. He is certified in occupational health practice management and OSHA. Larry, thank you so much for joining me today.

Larry Regnier: Good morning, Katie. It's pleasure to be here.

Host: Let's talk a little bit about occupational medicine and what that means to an employer. So what type of workforce health services does Riverside offer?

Larry Regnier: We offer a very large comprehensive service line for workforce health. Workforce health is what Riverside calls our department. We are traditionally the occupational health department, as what most employers know our department as, but we wanted to make the name workforce health to really expand the services for the whole health system to the employers. We don't just do occupational health and safety. That is our key responsibility, as to keep employees safe and healthy, but we want to offer them all the services that a health system can offer. So when I go out and meet the employers, we do everything customized to their needs. We start with our gold standard, which the occupational health and safety. So if you're not familiar with what occupational health and safety is, it is the actual safety of the employees at work, and what they're exposed to in their line of work, whether it's production logistics, warehousing. We have a lot of warehouses in the area, or if it's even office work, there is ergonomic dangerous to office workers, believe it or not, with carpal tunnel and spinal issues.

So we go and meet with the employers and we customize what we can do for them. We sit down and do a really good thorough analysis of the jobs. Just make sure that when we are servicing them, we're doing the best thing. And then we also do get into sort of population health which what's going on with the health and wellness as well of their employees. So we talk to them about claims that they might have through insurances, if they do have a really good, robust wellness program. We like to look through their numbers to see what issues they're having throughout the organization to help them reach their wellness goals. Riverside has a great program itself, so we kind of steal some ideas from that, but most people look for us for guidance. And that's what I do is I try to guide them into the right direction. So we do offer everything from OSHA medical surveillance to pre-employment physicals, to drug screens, work injury management, case management with those work injuries.

We try to get employed injured employees back to work quickly, because again, we do work within a large health system. We do really good referrals to orthopedics or neurology or physical therapy. So we can keep the continuum of care really good within the injury. A lot of times occupational health departments don't do a really good job with that. And we do a really good job with that here at Riverside. We try to get employees to, just like with Riverside best care, but as fast as we can and then back to work. So we, like I said, it's a lot of different stuff that we offer. It's just not.

Host: Yeah, it sounds like a very broad offering of services, but that's great. I mean, you don't want to just limit what you're offering to an employer just nice that we can intertwine the health and wellness as well, in addition to the occupational piece of it. And it sounds like you guys are really in tuned to that, so.

Larry Regnier: Yeah, we are. We do, my team does wonderful in helping us help the area companies reach their goals.

Host: So you mentioned all the different pieces that you do. Do you do anything onsite at these places like is that where you go and kind of meet and look through, like what you could do to help them, or do you offer, like when you go onsite and offer certain screenings or something, do you do those there?

Larry Regnier: Yes. it's again, based upon the needs. So if it's a high production facility where production is key and the thought of I'll take for example, the OSHA medical surveillance, if people with respirators or it's loud and they were hearing protection or they're exposed to various chemicals or metals, they need to have testing done annually. And how do you do that and how do you do that fast and efficiently for the company? So bringing our services onsite is tremendous. So we do that. We look through what their needs are. Does it make sense for them to come to clinic or does it make sense to bring our mobile unit, which we have a large mobile unit, it's like an RV that we can bring on site to do the testing. We do that a lot throughout the year. It helps a lot of the employers get their employees through without causing a downturn in production, which obviously they love if they're in manufacturing. But we also do onsite health and wellness. So if employees or employers are looking at a wellness program with biometric screenings, we can again come out on site and do that as well.

Flue shots, we go out and do that. And then even in like some of the different clients that we work with if they do childcare work or work with a younger population that's under 18, they have to have annual requirements with physicals and TB test, Tuberculosis testing annually. So again, we can go out onsite and do that testing. So we try to offer what's best for the company. We do know companies are wanting to get their people in and out as fast as possible because obviously having them come to the clinic, there is a chance that they are going to be away from work and they have to have someone work overtime and all the costs of that. So we keep that in mind when we work with our clients.

Host: Okay. Yeah. So it sounds like it's definitely considered worth considering Riverside for your workforce health and occupational services with the broad offering that we do have and onsite services. So additionally, it looks like we've got some additional services then to that including work related injuries. I mean, that's another piece of the occupational health.

Larry Regnier: Yeah. if a workers injured and this is like my bread and butter for me personally. When you introed me, you talked a little bit about my background. I am certified in OSHA general industry and then occupational health management. I'm actually in my Master's degree program in occupational health and safety because when I work with the HR and safety directors in the area, I want to make sure that their employees are taken care of. And then also we do follow the law. OSHA is very complex. It's some black and white, but a lot of gray. So how do we manage that? And do what's best for the employee and the employer. And I think we do a really good job with that. Part of what I do is to make sure that the employees, they're going to get great care if they come to Riverside, first of all but how to make sure that the employer understands what that care is and what they need to do on their end to be compliant with OSHA. OSHA's is very scary to a lot of our employers that I work with.  

So if I can be a go to person for them, that's what I do to make sure that they understand what they need to do to be compliant and follow the law, and then put their mind at ease. Cause OSHA is kind of like the police officer for work injuries. So they want to make sure that they don't get ticketed if they do something. So and unfortunately when accidents do occur, there is sometimes stuff that happens that's beyond your control. We want to make sure that all that is documented correctly. And I could go on and on and talking about this stuff, but that's what really is different than from us than anybody else that offers occupational health is that they have someone like me that can come in and explain everything to them, explain the process, walk them through what needs to happen on their end. And then if OSHA is to come out, what they need to talk to OSHA about. That's one of the big reasons I'm going back and getting my Master's degree in the occupational health and safety is so I can better serve my clients more. I know the more I can teach them so they can do a better job on their end.

Host: Yeah. It sounds like you're definitely an ally between the company and OSHA and you can, it's nice to have somebody help understand that kind of stuff. And I'm sure you put them at ease with or try as best you can.

Larry Regnier: I try to, but I am very familiar with OSHA obviously, but I have no problems reaching out on behalf of our companies to OSHA to ask for guidance for them. So we get some documentation from them, what's right and what they should be doing. If I'm not quite clear myself, and OSHA has been great to work with. They have the stigma that there, like I said, I always go back analogy of the police that you don't want them, but they're great to work with. If you don't know and you call and ask, they're there to help, they do offer free consultation services for people to come out for OSHA inspectors, just come out and go through the work sites for free and they give guidance and they just say, this is what you need to work on. So I'm kind of a go between.

Host: So, and I mean, they're there, I mean for safety as well. So it's not that they're trying to find something to ding you on, it's more of a, we want to make sure you're safe and this is how we're going to ensure you're safety and you're able to kind of decode some of that for them. And that's helpful.

Larry Regnier: Yeah. And then when there is new policies and laws that come out I am in tune with what's going on with the OSHA office. So when there's things that come up, that's going to apply to our companies, I do email those out and communicate that. So the companies are aware with implications. A few years ago, under President Obama, they rolled back random drug screening programs and post accident, drug screening programs. And now under president Trump that's came back out. So it's kind of knowing what you can do and what you can't do. So I try to educate the companies on that. So when they come to us, we're doing what needs to be done under the law specifically, but then what's best for the company too. And I try to also, especially with COVID going on right now, OSHA's had some really good guidance on what company needs companies need to do to reopen. So I try to make sure that that gets out to the companies because I know there are the clients that I work with, everyone's busy with doing their normal jobs. And the last thing they do is get on the OSHA website and look to see what's out there. So I try to do that for them.

Host: Okay. So kind of circling back to, we were kind of talking about the work related injuries and stuff like that. So where could an employer or somebody go if they have experienced a work related injury? I know Riverside has a couple of different locations that they can?

Larry Regnier: Correct. Our main office is in Bradley at the atrium on Kennedy drive, just South of the DMV and Burger King, of that is our main hub that. We only do occupational health out of that office. That clinic is open Monday through Friday. We also do occupational health out of Coal City, Moni, and Watseka. The immediate cares. Those are in our industry considered mixed models because they do an immediate care plus workforce health, occupational health side. But the providers have come through our office and trained on how to treat the injured workers. And then if they need guidance, then we have Dr. Deepankar, medical director is there to help them. If they have any questions to walk through the process, if they have a difficult work injury to come in to see what do they need to do, and then it works out really slick. We all share the same EMR, electronic medical record side. So if a company for say, is based here in Kankakee, but a worker lives in Watseka and is injured and it's easier for them to go to the Watseka clinic, the Watseka workforce health staff can see what needs to be done, who the paperwork needs to be sent to, and what drug screen needs to be done.

If it's a post-accident, it's required a drug screen or a breath alcohol test. So it works very well. We do a really good job at making sure that everyone's communicating and on the same page. So we offer that. We also do offer workforce health, occupational health injury treatment at the emergency room at the main hospital. Again, that staff has access to drug screening, breath, alcohol as well. We do have an on call drug screening program through the hospital for Federal drug screens. So if an injured truck driver who falls under Federal guidelines for drug screening and breath alcohol is injured or an accident, and they go to our ER, that staff has called in. So we make sure that that drug screen is done correctly under Federal guidelines, but the injury treatment it's done at the ER, we have a good system in place with our ER that the injured worker then follows up with at one of our clinics, to make sure that then we can go over the paperwork that was given. Because we need a set of occupational health eyes on the paperwork to make sure that everything's done again to be OSHA compliant.

Host: Okay. Well it's nice that, I mean, we've got, you mentioned the Atrium main, the main hub for it, but then we've got the immediate cares, which offer extended hours and weekends. And then of course if it's 24 hours a day or need, you know, way late in the hours or something like that, we've got the emergency room. So we've kind of got all those bases covered. So if there's a work related injury, we can, we can definitely take care of you, right when you need it.

Larry Regnier: Yeah, exactly. And we do, I mean, it works really well. Yeah. I mean, we're not going to, I know we're not going to have clinics open 24 seven, but the ER does a great job for us. And again, it's within the health system. So the continuum of care is there. The protocols are in place to make sure that we get the paperwork, we get the drug screen. So then we can get the results and the work status, which is the paperwork that follows a work injury out to the employer. So it can get to the supervisor so that, you know, John Smith's probably not coming to work tomorrow, but here's his drug screen breath, alcohol results. And when is he coming back to work and what can he do when he comes back to work while he's recovering from his injury?

Host: Okay. So if an employer is interested in connecting with Riverside, who should this employer be connecting or setting up the pre-employment pieces or is that somebody they will come right to you? Or is there someone else that you need to contact or?

Larry Regnier: It'll come to me eventually. Depending on where they call the staff are great. They'll either email me or give me a phone call to let me know that a company has called in or wants to, or even change something that they're doing. Setting up a company is pretty easy. It's easy for me because I do it. So, and I've done it for years now. So I just get the call in, I connect everything and get everything lined up Perfect. I try to make sure that follow-ups done, customer service is done. Especially when it's a new client and it's new to us. We want to make sure everyone's on the same page. And then we get everything perfect the first time. At least, that's the hopes. So but for pre-employment drug screens, it can be anything. They would just call Riverside workforce health and they could just ask for me is the easiest way. And then if I'm not there or if I'm out. Normally I'm out at companies, someone there will, if it's immediate need address it and get them set up so they can send somebody in for a work injury or if it was a reasonable suspicion or something like that, where it needs immediate attention. Otherwise, as soon as I'm in, or I check my email, I make the phone call and get everything lined up.

Host: Okay. So is there a number they could call, do you have that office number?

Larry Regnier: They can call (815) 935-7532. And whoever answers the phone has been through this enough to know that they'll put them through to me.

Host: Okay. Well, that's all very great information. Is there anything else that we may have missed and that we want our audience to know?

Larry Regnier: The one thing I would like to talk about during this right now because of the COVID pandemic is for the employers, don't forget about general safety. Everybody gets tied up into wearing your mask and the social distancing and all that, but we still have to be safe. And everything right now through National Safety Council and OSHA and everything else is about the pandemic with COVID. So don't forget the little things in the workplace. It's easy to get tied up to this, but we still see work injuries. And they're not COVID related, they're slips and falls and strains and sprains and lacerations. So keep that in mind that, Yes, you need to still be here about COVID and use social distancing and the face masks appropriately, but don't forget about the other stuff. Like I said, it's right now, it's a big thing with COVID and everybody's kind of is missing the other stuff. And then also if you are been having employees that were laid off and they're coming back, make sure you go over the general safety, besides the COVID and the new policies.

We work with a lot of companies that have let people go because unfortunately of the economic situation of the pandemic, and they're starting to bring employees back, and doing so how do you do that? And what does that look like? Cause again, every company is different. It could be in a warehouse in Santino where everybody basically social distance anyways, cause they're on their own forklift or it could be in a production facility where there is two foot between you and you can't socially distance. So what duty to do appropriately for that situation. So but again, it's like anything, OSHA has resources for you. If you go to their website specifically for reopening and what to do in the different industries. National Safety Council has put out some nice resources as well for people for doing this project and just general reminders about general safety and wellness. COVID unfortunately has affected the economy greatly. And we see that here locally as well. And we want everyone to get back to work and to be back to full production and everyone to be back, but being safe and healthy.

Host: Oh yeah, definitely. And you had mentioned, not forgetting, I mean, if you do have work related injury, we're still seeing those and Riverside has taken numerous additional safety measures as well. So it's a very safe place for you to come if you do have that work injury, know that you are being taken care of and it's extra safety measures are in place for that.

Larry Regnier: Yeah, absolutely. We at our office, at all of our offices, we follow CDC guidelines and Riverside policies for people coming through they have to wear a mask. If they don't have one, we'll give them one. Social distancing is being followed. We do not have all the seating in their normal waiting areas that we did before. It's very spars seating, believe it or not. And our employees are also masked. And then we do COVID testing now as well at workforce health. So if that happens again, we're following the policies. So if there's a suspected person with COVID or if it is now being added to a pre-employment request for a company, we follow the same procedures as if they would go to the hospital and get a COVID test.

Host: Okay. Well that was all excellent information. I know, I learned a lot more, I didn't know fully what that all meant and I appreciate all the explanations. Thank you. But thank you of course, for joining us, Larry and thank you for tuning into Well Within Reach Podcast with occupational health and safety employer, liaison Larry Regnier. And your host, Katie Salwei to learn more about Riverside's Workforce Health, visit Riversidehealthcare.org.