Advocacy

Guidance and Position Statements

ACOEM provides recommendations for occupational health professionals on managing various situations which may arise in their practice or state the College’s position on a particular subject. These documents may be based upon the scientific literature or consensus opinion.
Arsenic Exposure, Assessment, Toxicity, Diagnosis, and Management

Arsenic exposure in humans can occur from multiple routes including diet. This guidance document addresses arsenic exposure sources and pathways, adverse health effects of arsenic exposure and those subpopulations at increased risk, and the evaluation and treatment of those exposed to elevated arsenic levels.

Occupational Noise-Induced Hearing Loss

This position statement clarifies current best practices in the diagnosis of occupational noise-induced hearing loss.

The Role of the Professional Supervisor in Audiometric Testing Component of Hearing Conservation Programs

This guidance document discusses the role of occupational medicine clinicians in the supervision of audiometric surveillance under the auspices of hearing conservation programs.

Role and Value of the Corporate Medical Director

This 2-part guidance document explores the strength and importance of the corporate medical director.

Fitness-for-Duty Assessments of Industrial Firefighters: Guidance for Occupational Medicine Physicians

This guidance document recommends best practices for determining an industrial firefighter’s fitness-for-duty, and where possible, characterizes the demographic make-up of the industrial firefighter.

Responsibilities of the Occupational and Environmental Medicine Provider in the Treatment and Prevention of Climate Change-Related Health Programs

This guidance document focuses on North American workers' health effects that may occur as a result of climate change and describes the responsibilities of the OEM provider in responding to these health challenges.

Enhancing Worker Health Through Clinical Decision Support (NIOSH Resource Reports)

The November 2017 issue of JOEM contains a NIOSH-led compilation of articles describing proposed recommendations to introduce computer‐mediated clinical decision support (CDS) into health information systems for primary care practices to assist providers in the care of working patients.

Utilization Review in Worker’s Compensation: Current Status and Opportunities for Improvement

Utilization review (UR) is an element of workers' compensation (WC) systems in some jurisdictions and under consideration in others. This position statement provides a high-level overview of UR as it releates to WC.

The Personal Physician's Role in Helping Patients with Medical Conditions Stay at Work or Return to Work

This position statement discusses the role of personal physicians in assisting their patients minimize life and work disruption resulting from new injury or illness, changes in chronic health conditions and existing disabilities, or the advance of age.