Authors (including presenting author) :
WONG KCM(1), TSANG DSW(1), LOO HCH(2), HO VKC(3), FOK JPC(1), CHAN PPL(2)
Affiliation :
(1) Occupational Medicine Care Service (OMCS), Department of Family Medicine, NTEC
(2) Non-Emergency Ambulance Transfer Service (NEATS), NTEC
(3) Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Committee, NTEC
Introduction :
NEATS is to provide point-to-point transport services for targeted patients who have to access or discharge from hospital. Most of the users are aged patients with poor mobility. Physical job demand of NEATS Patient Care Workers (PCA) is expected to increase due to aging population. Inappropriate lifting techniques and awkward posture may lead to work injury. The IOD rate was on rising trend from 2014 to 2018 in NEATS. A focus group involving NEATS, OMCS and OSH was established in 2019 to identify root cause of problem and explore appropriate intervention with joint effort among stakeholders and staff engagement.
Objectives :
1. Enhance NEATS PCA occupational health.
2. Facilitate timely return-to-work (RTW) for injured staff with disability management program.
Methodology :
NEATS and OSH team worked closely with OMCS. Team meeting and onsite visits were held; work environment and manual handling operation (MHO) related work behaviors were assessed. Workplace hazards were identified, PCA were encouraged to voice out their concern and difficulty at work. Their concern was addressed with corresponding job coaching and introduction of appropriate assistive devices. Tailor-made MHO training was designed to foster work safety. Specific stretching exercises were introduced; supervisor facilitated staff to perform stretching exercise on regular basis.
OMCS proactively cared about PCA with health problem affecting work with modified duty recommendation which emphasize implementation of reasonable work accommodation under case management, in which genuine communication among staff and supervisor with expectation management and realistic goals setting are important.
Result & Outcome :
After implementation of the program in NEATS, significant improvement in both IOD case number and IOD sick-leave day were noted. The former dropped from 5 cases (average of 2014 to 2020) to 4 cases in 2021; the latter dropped from 276 days (average of 2014 to 2020) to 139 days in 2021. Frontline staff feedbacks towards program were encouraging that 93% rated satisfactory in program evaluation. Supervisors’ feedbacks were also very promising that program had addressed the need of their staff and aroused their work safety awareness.
Key factors of success in this program were teamwork among stakeholders with top management support and staff engagement.
Key factors of success in this program were teamwork among stakeholders with top management support and staff engagement
