Training of Polish Occupational Physicians in Risk Communication

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Training of Polish Occupational Physicians in
Risk Communication

• Jacek Michalak
• Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine
• Lodz, POLAND

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Training of Polish Occupational Physicians in
Risk Communication EASOM Dresden 2001

• Occupational Health Service in Poland
• Labor Code Amendment 1991
• Occupational Health Service Act 1996
• Covering all employees
• Obligatory measurements and examinations
• Costs covered by employers and State

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Training of Polish Occupational Physicians in
Risk Communication EASOM Dresden 2001

• The most important legal regulations in Polish
  OHS
• Health Care Facilities Act (1991)
• General Health Insurance Act (1997)
• Occupational Health Services Act (1996)
• Minister of Health and Welfare rule on the
  methods of determination the harmful factors at
  the work place (1993)
• Minister of Health and Welfare Instruction on the
  prophylactic examinations of employees (1996)
  guidelines

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Training of Polish Occupational Physicians in
Risk Communication EASOM Dresden 2001

• The standards for prophylactic examinations
• minimum extend of medical examination
• minimum set of laboratory tests
• minimum set of specialist consultations
• This can be broadened by a doctor
• minimum frequency of prophylactic examinations
• This can be shortened by a doctor

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Training of Polish Occupational Physicians in
Risk Communication EASOM Dresden 2001

• The list of harmful factors
• 14 groups of physical factors (e.g. noise,
  vibration)
• 9 groups of industrial dusts (e.g. silica,
  asbestos)
• 53 groups of toxic compounds
• 6 groups of biological factors (e.g. HBV)
• 8 groups of other factors (e.g. stress, shift
  work)

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Training of Polish Occupational Physicians in
Risk Communication EASOM Dresden 2001

• The measurements of harmful factors may be
  performed
• either by Sanitary Inspection laboratory
• or by a laboratory authorized by sanitary
  inspection
• Doctor receives only the results

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Training of Polish Occupational Physicians in
Risk Communication EASOM Dresden 2001

• Supervisory system in Occupational Health
  Service
• national consultant (specialist) appointed by the
  government
• regional consultants (specialists) appointed by
  local authorities - Voivodes

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Training of Polish Occupational Physicians in
Risk Communication EASOM Dresden 2001

• System of physicians specialist education
• 6 years of medical studies
• 1 year of postgraduate stages
• Now you can start to cure, but not to be an
  occupational physician!

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Training of Polish Occupational Physicians in
Risk Communication EASOM Dresden 2001

• Former system of specialists training
• 2 years of training I0 specialty
• Next 3 years - II0 specialty
• Present system
• 4 years of specialty training
• Individual supervision of a specialist tutor or
  MASTER

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Training of Polish Occupational Physicians in
Risk Communication EASOM Dresden 2001

• Current curricula
• For graduate of Medical University (MB)
• For I0 specialist in occupational medicine
• For I0 specialist in general medicine (GP)
• For I0 specialist in internal medicine

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Training of Polish Occupational Physicians in
Risk Communication EASOM Dresden 2001

• AIMS (1)
• Working conditions and workers health status
• Occupational hazards
• Prophylactic examinations
• Occupational diseases prophylaxis, diagnosis
  and treatment
• Stating working ability at a given workplace
• Rehabilitation of disabled workers
• Health promotion at the workplace

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Training of Polish Occupational Physicians in
Risk Communication EASOM Dresden 2001

• AIMS (2)
• Risk assessment
• Co-operation with employers
• Individual protection devices
• Biological monitoring
• Advising in occupational safety and health
• Analysis of accidents at work and occupational
  diseases

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Training of Polish Occupational Physicians in
Risk Communication EASOM Dresden 2001

• Knowledge and capacities (items in curriculum)
• Health care organization (25)
• Occupational hygiene (36)
• Physiology and ergonomics (14)
• Occupational psychology (7) communication with
  patients
• Epidemiology (8)
• Statistics (5)

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Training of Polish Occupational Physicians in
Risk Communication EASOM Dresden 2001

• Occupational medicine clinical issues
• General issues (10)
• Occupational pathology (risks) (28)

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Training of Polish Occupational Physicians in
Risk Communication EASOM Dresden 2001

• Management of Occupational Health Services
• Health economics
• Internal medicine

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Training of Polish Occupational Physicians in
Risk Communication EASOM Dresden 2001

• Cardiology
• Angiology
• Pulmonology
• Hematology
• Nephrology

• Gastroenterology
• Endocrinology
• Allergology
• Rheumatology
• Oncology
• Infectious diseases

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Training of Polish Occupational Physicians in
Risk Communication EASOM Dresden 2001

• Courses
• Introductory (1 week)
• Advanced (8 weeks)
• Special (each 10 h to 3 weeks)
• occupational pathology, pneumoconioses, allergy,
  occupational psychology (communication),
• occupational diseases dermatology, larygnology,
  acute poisoning and reanimation,

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Training of Polish Occupational Physicians in
Risk Communication EASOM Dresden 2001

• Stages
• Internal medicine 12 months
• Infectious diseases 4 weeks
• Orthopedics 2 weeks
• Occupational hygiene and epidemiology 8 w.
• Health care organization 4 weeks
• Occupational pathology 4 months
• OHS primary unit 24 months
• Pulmonology 5 weeks

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Training of Polish Occupational Physicians in
Risk Communication EASOM Dresden 2001

• 11 examinations
• Active participation in Polish Association of
  Occupational Medicine
• 1 published report
• 1 foreign language (English, French or German)

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Training of Polish Occupational Physicians in
Risk Communication EASOM Dresden 2001

• However, it is a lot to be done in risk
  communication