A Comprehensive Guide to Choosing an Occupational Health Management System That Works

When it comes to managing the health and safety of your workforce, choosing the right occupational health management system is crucial. With so many options available, it can be overwhelming to determine which system will best fit the needs of your organisation.

In this article, we present a comprehensive guide to choosing an occupational health management system, by narrowing down on the major features you need to be on the lookout for. Whether you are starting from scratch or considering a new system, this guide will help you make an informed decision that will facilitate your compliance with regulations while promoting the overall health outcomes of your employees.

Understand the Elements of Occupational Health and Safety

An OHMS is designed to help employers meet their obligations in regards to their employees’ health and safety.

To understand what features you should look for in one, it’s important to first familiarise yourself with the components of occupational health and safety:

Risk assessment: assessing and monitoring risks in the workplace
Risk management: developing plans to mitigate or eliminate risks
Health surveillance: monitoring employee health related to job activities
Training: ensuring that employees have the necessary skills and knowledge
Employee consultation: creating channels through which employees can communicate issues or concerns
Incident identification, recording, investigation, and reporting.

These elements help employers create an environment where dangers in the workplace are minimised. Read more about them here.

Explore the Features of an Occupational Healthcare Management System

When looking for an OHM system for your organisation, there are several features that you will want to explore.

First, look for a system that provides automated workflow capabilities. This means that the system should be able to process claims quickly and accurately while also providing real-time data updates. Automation will streamline your administrative processes and reduce the time spent on manual paper-based tasks.

Next, consider whether or not a system offers electronic signature capabilities. This feature can help save time, as well as eliminate errors associated with manual document processing. Additionally, look for a system that allows users to securely store documents in the cloud as this will help ensure that sensitive medical records remain confidential and secure at all times.

Finally, make sure that any system you are considering has comprehensive reporting capabilities. This should include an intuitive dashboard where administrators can easily access real-time data about claims processing, employee benefit usage, cost analysis and more. Reports should also be customizable so that administrators can tailor them to meet their specific needs and goals.

Analyse Occupational Risk and Conduct Assessments

Identifying and managing workplace risks is essential to having a safe and healthy work environment. If your OMHS comes with this feature, you can quickly analyse occupational risks in your workplace to better understand the potential danger posed by certain tasks, environments, or equipment.

An effective OHMS should allow you to:

Monitor employee health data, such as results from medical screenings and tests.
Create individualised metrics for each employee to zero in on areas that need improvement.
Generate real-time safety reports to identify areas of concern for employers.
Develop an action plan to reduce risk in the workplace by taking proactive steps.

Monitor Regulatory Compliance for Occupational Health and Safety

Any OH management system you choose must be up to date with the latest regulatory requirements. This means that your system must be able to keep track of any changes in regulations, labour laws, and other rules that may impact the functionality of your operations.

Some features to look for include:

Automated compliance monitoring: Regular monitoring of regulations to help ensure your company is always compliant.
Compliance management tools and reporting: Tools that allow you to manage your compliance strategies and easily create reports to use in audits and other regulatory reviews.
Document library: A database of updated documents related to occupational health and safety regulations, including employee training materials and safety protocols.
Electronic signatures: The ability to electronically sign documents which eliminates the need for paper filing systems.

Documentation and Record Keeping for Healthcare Management

The ability to store and manage patient information is an essential part of any OHMS. Your system should have the capability to store various types of documents, including medical records, injury reports, and other related documents.

The system should also support forms that are compliant with local and national regulations, helping to streamline the process of filing expenses and claims.

Here are some features that you should look for:

Flexible data storage – The system should store different kinds of information, as well as store different formats such as PDFs, images, audio files, and videos.
Flexible access control – Only authorised people should have access to sensitive information.
Automated record-keeping – This streamlines the entire process by performing tasks such as logging dates of service and tracking patient histories automatically so that healthcare professionals can focus on providing quality care.
Audit trails – These enable you to track who has accessed certain records so that any potential security breaches can be quickly identified and rectified.
Regulatory compliance – Look for a system that is compliant with relevant laws so that you don’t run into any legal issues down the line.

Implementing an Effective Process for Healthcare Management

Finding and implementing an effective process for healthcare management is a key part of managing your occupational health program. An occupational healthcare management system should include features to help streamline the process and ensure compliance with industry regulations. Here are some features to look out for:

Automated Visitor Check-In

Having an automated visitor check-in system in place can help you keep track of who has entered your workplace, when they arrived, and what their specific health status is. This allows you to quickly and easily identify which visitors need additional screening or other health services, ensuring that no one falls through the cracks.

Real-Time Alerts and Reporting

An occupational healthcare management system should also provide real-time alerts and reporting capabilities. This helps you stay on top of any issues that arise with employees or visitors, quickly identifying any potential health risks or compliance problems.

Accessibility from Any Device

Finally, look for a system that allows for easy access from any device, including smartphones, tablets and laptops. With this kind of flexibility, your team can access the information they need no matter where they are, ensuring a smoother workflow and faster response times to potential issues.

In conclusion, selecting the right occupational health management system is key in promoting employee health and reducing healthcare costs in your business. Therefore, before making your decision, it is essential that you shop widely and consider various OHM providers to find the system that best meets your requirements.

At Meddbase, you’ll get a free consultation session with our in-house experts to identify your business’ needs, to enable them to customise a system that prioritises your requirements. To learn more about our comprehensive Occupational Health Management Software, and how it can protect you and your employees click here.