Information for Employers

The medical evidence supporting pre-employment medical assessments show that an effectively implemented program reduces injury rates and delivers substantial cost savings. The following benefits have been demonstrated:

• A 40% decrease in injuries over 10 years in one study
• A cost saving of 2 million dollars over 4 years in another study
• A three-time reduction in back injuries
• An overall reduced injury rate of 2.5x and reduced cost of 4x compared to employers who do not implement a PEM program
• A 21% higher employee retention rate.

Pre-employment medicals (PEMs) are undertaken to indentify whether candidates:

• Have health issues that may affect their ability to safely perform the inherent requirements of the proposed position.
• Have a condition that may worsen or aggravated during employment.
• Have a condition that may pre-dispose them to develop a work-related condition.
• Are at a safety risk to themselves or others.

The components of PEMs include:

• Height and Weight
• Distance, near and colour vision
• Urinalysis
• Drug and Alcohol testing
• Medical Examination
• Functional Examination

If requested or required:

• Audiometry
• ECG
• Spirometry
• Pathology (blood tests)
• X-rays

The benefits of conducting a pre-employment medical include:

• A safer work environment.
• Reducing risk of injury or illness.
• Optimal job matching.
• Reduced workers compensation claims and costs.
• Assisting in the decision to hire.
• Improved worker and workplace health, morale and productivity.

Some industries require a pre-employment and ongoing medical health surveillance by law, such as train drivers, commercial drivers, hazardous substance workers (lead, pesticide, spray painter, asbestos) or safety critical roles.

Our occupational doctors conduct the medical components of all PEMs; we do not undertake the ‘medical review or medical sign-off’ process as we believe the quality and outcomes of our PEMs are determined by the quality of the information obtained during the assessment by our highly trained doctors.

Each of your employee is assigned a level of Risk, medical Recommendations or work Restrictions (the 3 R’s).

PEMs will be tailored to your specific staff profiles and job dictionaries, and our approach is to encourage engagement and empower our customers with concise high-quality medical information and recommendations, to make informed decisions about risk, and develop recommendations for a future wellbeing program to maximise health and recovery.

The benefits are not simply maintaining but improving the health, safety and productivity of your workforce, as well as improving workplace culture, engagement, morale, employee retention and absenteeism.

Results are forwarded to employers on the day of the assessment or within 24 hours at the latest.

Don’t wait until it’s too late. Enable your workers to recover faster.

Did you know you can access medical specialist diagnosis and care from day one? As an employer you do not need to wait to go through the lengthy claims process. In the event your employee sustains an injury, we provide effective early intervention and injury management services at our Rose Park or Salisbury Clinics (see locations).

All NGOM’s doctors, physiotherapists and allied practitioners have either specialist or post graduate qualifications, as well as a special interest in occupational medicine, pain management, musculoskeletal medicine and knowledge of worker’s compensation legislation. By ensuring your employees receive timely best-practice evidence-based healthcare which is tailored to the worker and specific industry, this results in:

• Reduced absenteeism.
• Reduced lost time.
• Reduced claim number, frequency, volume.
• Reduced total claims costs.
• Accurate diagnosis and best practice treatment of occupational injuries.
• Accurate determination of claim validity.
• Faster return to work to full duties with sustainability.

Injured workers are accommodated with day appointments for acute injuries, or within 24 hours of request at the latest.

Our Doctors, Physiotherapists and Allied Health professionals contact and update you and your insurer regularly regarding your employee’s recovery and progress, as well as any other injury management matters.

Return to Work SA Work Capacity Certificates are forwarded to you and your insurer on the day of the appointment or within 24 hours at the latest.

A small proportion (less than 20%) of injured workers contribute to 90% of worker’s compensation costs. These workers need specialist help early, as by the time they are identified as high risk or complex injuries, it is too late to get them back on track.

Since 2015, NGOM have been working with employers and insurers to help these workers recover better by early identification and management through specialist intervention . We do this through the use of a highly effective screening tool and conducting a review with an:

• Occupational Physician
• Specialist Physiotherapist
• Psychologist

We have been able to demonstrate that this multidisciplinary intervention results in:

• 50% reduction in absenteeism.
• 30% reduction in costs.

A reduction of 90% total cost by 30% results not only in significant cost savings, but an enormous impact on health, culture and productivity.

You and your employees have the option to choose a telehealth (phone or video) consultation which overcomes logistical challengers to deliver medical care, education and advice over long and short distances.

Telehealth has many benefits including:

• COVID and infection safe.
• Saving time and cost from transportation.
• No or reduced time away from work.
• Less waiting room time.
• Enabling consultation whilst still able to uphold family responsibilities such as caring for children or elderly.
• Larger reach for workers where access to medical services may be limited or difficult.
• Ideal for shift workers and businesses in regional or rural locations.

Occupational Physicians and Occupational Doctors are the only medical specialists specifically trained and qualified to determine an individual’s fitness for duty (FFD). They do this by utilising their knowledge of workplaces and the demands of specific jobs, and comparing this to the capacity that a worker has, and the risks that their health status poses. They are able to assess how medical conditions, illness or injury may affect an individual’s ability to function both at work and in normal daily activities.

FFD assessments are used when:

• employees suffer from a non-work-related injury or illness,
• there are concerned about their health and safety at work,
• employees are on long-term or permanent restrictions.

The purpose of these assessments is to:

• clarify diagnosis,
• clarify capacity for work,
• conduct a risk assessment,
• recommend reasonable workplace modification,
• recommend treatment recommendations to enable a safe and sustainable return to work.

Situations where these assessments are undertaken include:

• extended time off work on sick leave,
• return from income protection,
• any concerns regarding safety of worker, workforce or public,
• poor performance at work and a medical cause is declared/suspected,
• concerns reported from management, supervisor or colleague.

The Fitness for Duty will include:

• Completion of a questionnaire and consent form.
• A consultation with an Occupational Physician for up to 60 mins, which consists of medical history and clinical examination.
• The worker will likely be required to disrobe during the examination and it is advised for them to dress accordingly.

The Fitness for Duty Assessment may include, if requested:

• Full functional capacity evaluation and fitness test, OR
• Fitness test alone

Following a Fitness for Duty Assessment, a report will be provided to the employer outlining the tasks their employee can safely perform and what strategies should be considered and implemented to minimise risk.

Sample reports are available on request

GP or Occupational Doctor fitness for duty assessment

A fitness for duty assessment can also be conducted by a GP or Occupational Doctor if an employer requires a review of a worker’s treating GP’s clearance certificate from an acute non-compensable condition (as opposed to chronic condition, which requires an Occupational Physician’s expertise). A short report is forwarded to the referrer (and the worker’s GP) and a sick certificate is issued.

We offer Exercise Physiology services for both Acute Injury and Persistent Pain Management:

• Functional Restoration Programs - focuses on evidence-based acute injury and persistent pain recovery by better understanding both a clinical and biopsychosocial pain presentation, increasing physical functioning, and improving resilient-based pain coping skills.
• Work Conditioning Programs - injury and task specific, with a drive to restore a client's capacity to perform productive work duties. Collaborative communication with the client, their treatment team, their employer, and their insurer is integral.
• Functional Abilities Review - an independent assessment that provides clarity over a worker's current functional ability and / or working capacity based on the Dictionary of Occupational Titles. This can then be utilised to support the development of any proposed return to work / remain at work activity

• Manual Handling Training - focuses on the delivery of real behaviour changes and risk reduction strategies in a workforce, and empowers a workforce to make positive and healthy choices to their daily manual handling activities and overall ergonomics, both at home and at work.
• Onsite Job Task Analysis - a valid and objective assessment aimed at identifying the physical demands of a particular job. It can be used for pre-employment services, risk assessments, and as an early intervention approach to remain at work / return to work when educating General Practitioners on the physical and environmental demands of a role.

• Pre-Injury Employer Services - ensures individual worker and employer needs are met, with use of evidence and scientific-based biopsychosocial flag assessment tools to assess associated risks and barriers. Recovery & Return To Work Plans provide tailored recommendations that are specific, goal oriented, time bound, and target the earliest possibly return to work or recovery to full capacity.
• Functional Capacity Evaluations - determines the worker’s capacity over a range of physical demands in order to make recommendations for participation in work and specific duties available to the worker.
• Worksite Assessment Services - a strong focus of this service is to develop the most suitable proposed Graduated Return to Work Program as well as providing very sound clinical and injury management advice around treatment and rehabilitation recommendations

“Immunize your crew before you get the flu”

Influenza (commonly known as ‘The Flu’) is highly contagious disease caused by a virus that can affect the entire body and causes symptoms more severe than the common cold. Around 10% of workplace absenteeism is associated with influenza, with estimated cost to businesses approximately $114 million per year. In Australia, influenza on average causes 3,500 deaths, about 18,000 hospitalisations and 300,000 GP consultations each year.

Annual vaccination has been shown to be the single most effective preventative measure against the flu, decreasing absenteeism, increasing productivity with cost savings up to 30-40% in the workplace

With the COVID-19 pandemic, it is highly recommended that all individuals vaccinate against the flu, as having COVID and flu infection together significantly increases the risk of death and serious complications.

NGOM is able to offer onsite vaccination services as well as after hours vaccination services for employees through out network of providers.

At NGOM we also offer the following services

• Onsite Drug and Alcohol Screening
• Onsite audiometric screening
• Mental Health Training

Please contact us if you require more information regarding the services above.

At NGOM we understand the value in stakeholder engagement, and our doctors and practitioners will contact you to discuss your worker’s health and return to work issues. As an employer you will also get the opportunity to speak directly with our doctors and practitioners (either via telephone, email or video), please contact our reception team to check our availability.

We are able to assist with fast turnaround times - accommodating new injury appointments and distributing work capacity certificates within 24 hours, and offering expert opinion appointments within 7 days.