Without the Whitecoat
Hiring a company doctor or medical retainer
It is common for residency training programs of medical institutions to produce "would-be" consultants who are a mile away from there diplomate status in their respective specialties. While most practice what they are trained in others or those without a conscience practice beyond the boundary of their specialty. Take the case of a graduate of an Internal Medicine residency program that goes back to his/her municipality to practice "General Medicine" doing consultations for infants and small children, doing minor surgical excision procedures and, the best thing, doing prenatal care for pregnant patients.
For those that stuck it out in the urban areas, they sat down as physicians in some HMO (Health Maintenance Organization) and primarily see workers and employees of companies or establishments but the sad thing is they pass themselves as occupational health physicians without any idea what occupational health and safety is. Due to the limited employment out there most of new graduates from residency training programs will just grab any opportunities before them, like a low paying job in some health organization, if they won't proceed to some subspecialties (subspecs). However, for some who had finished their "subspecs" they still practice beyond the scope of their specialization. When can a "subspecs" in endocrine disease have the right to see employees and workers of some company and render medical examinations and give corresponding "fit to work" status in a piece of paper and advise the worker to go back to the company, without any background of occupational health and safety. How can a diabetologist trained in endocrine disease with findings of severe hearing loss in a worker just allow the said worker to go back to work without making any occupational recommendations (Is this ethically correct?). Doesn't he/she realize that the said employee uses his "ear" or sense of hearing in making decisions in his workplace? May it be a graduate of a training program in Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, OBGYNE, Surgery or any subspecialties they don't have the right to practice Occupational Medicine because they have never been trained in that field or have any idea what Occupational Health and Safety is. (Except for Family Medicine which have already incorporated Occupational Health and Safety into their training programs, and in the medical school in which lectures in Occupational Medicine and Industrial Hygiene had already been implemented.)
There is always that saying that holds true "ignorance of the law excuses no one", in the LABOR CODE (PD 442) and SANITATION CODE (PD 856) of the Philippines in which "all" employers and HR (Human Resource department) are governed when it comes to worker's/employee's health, safety and rights. The regulatory and enforcement agency involved is the Department of Labor and Employment. In the field of medical practice it is only Occupational Medicine that deals with this government agency. OSH (Occupational Safety and Health) had its own legal basis (Article 162, Book IV of the Labor Code) Rule 1960 which provides that the employer shall establish in his place of employment occupational health service for his workers.
These are the guidelines that you should be looking for when employing the service of a COMPANY DOCTOR/PHYSICIAN or MEDICAL RETAINER. Primarily the physician should have a license to practice medicine in this country, a BOSH (Basic Occupational Safety and Health) training as required by Article 160 Book IV, Title I, Chapter I of the Labor Code of the Philippines his function should cover the following: organize, administer and maintain an Occupational Health Service program; continually monitor work environment; prevent diseases or injury thru proper medical supervision of work processes and substances; provide medical and surgical care; analyze records of all medical cases and prepare and submit AMR (annual medical report to DOLE): act as adviser to management and report directly to top management. So check the physician who is applying for the position of "Company Physician" if he has all the qualities mentioned above and at the same time comply with the Labor Code of the Philippines and the DOLE standards. If ever you hire a "MEDICAL RETAINER" be sure they can perform this task: maintenance of a healthful work environment (regular workplace appraisal, evaluation of working environment); health examinations (pre-employment, transfer examination, periodic, separation examination, special examination); diagnosis and treatment of all injuries/diseases; immunization program; accurate and complete medical records of workers; health education and counseling and nutrition program.
As a company or corporation, may it be a bank, an educational institution, medical institution like a hospital, a manufacturing firm, a production plant, a supermarket or any establishment that have workers always keep in mind to hire and employ the services of a doctor that is qualified and trained in basic occupational health and safety. Always follow the rules and regulations of the Labor Code of the Philippines and its Sanitation Code and especially the requirements of the Bureau of Working Conditions, Occupational Safety and Health Center of the Philippines all fall under the umbrella of the Department of Labor and Employment.