American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine

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American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM) is a United States-based professional society for health care professionals in the field of occupational safety and health. ACOEM is the pre-eminent physician-led organization that champions the health of workers, safety of workplaces, and quality of environments.

Contents

History

The American Occupational Medical Association was created in 1916. The American Academy of Occupational Medicine was created in 1946. In 1988, both organizations were merged to form the present day American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. [1]

Background

The American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM) is dedicated to promoting the health of workers through preventive medicine, clinical care, research, and education. It is headquartered in Elk Grove Village, Illinois. ACOEM membership consists of physicians and allied health professionals in a variety of medical practices. ACOEM develops policies and position statements on issues related to occupational and environmental medicine. While a national organization, ACOEM is composed of regional component societies in the United States and Canada, whose members hold regular scientific meetings and networking events. ACOEM hosts its annual American Occupational Health Conference (AOHC) each spring. ACOEM offers continuing education courses including Foundations in Occupational Medicine, Occupational Medicine Board Review, and Impairment and Disability Evaluation, and offers training for MRO Drug/Alcohol Testing and Commercial Driver Medical Examiners.[ citation needed ]

ACOEM mission

ACOEM provides leadership to promote optimal health and safety of workers, workplaces, and environments by:[ citation needed ]

OEM mission

Occupational and environmental medicine (OEM) is the medicine specialty devoted to prevention and management of occupational and environmental injury, illness and disability, and promotion of health and productivity of workers, their families, and communities.

ACOEM, an international society of more than 4,500 occupational physicians and associated professionals, provides leadership to promote optimal health and safety of workers, workplaces, and environments. [2]

Publications

ACOEM publishes the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (JOEM), a scientific, peer-reviewed monthly publication in the specialty of occupational and environmental medicine offering clinically oriented research articles and technical reports. ACOEM has several electronic newsletters, including ACOEM E-News, MRO Update newsletter, and CDME Review newsletter. ACOEM also publishes the online Guidance for the Medical Evaluation of Law Enforcement Officers (LEOs), and the Occupational Medicine Practice Guidelines.

ACOEM authors position papers providing guidance for a variety of topics such as spirometry, noise-induced hearing loss, obesity, workplace drug screening, confidentiality of medical information, depression screening, and reproductive hazards. ACOEM has also established a Code of Ethical Conduct to guide occupational and environmental physicians.

American Occupational Health Conference (AOHC)

The American Occupational Health Conference (AOHC) is the premier professional meeting for physicians and other health professionals who have an interest in the fields of occupational and environmental medicine (OEM). It is also the annual membership meeting for ACOEM's members. More than 1,300 people from around the globe convene to learn from each other, share knowledge, and connect through shared experience at AOHC, the largest gathering of occupational and environmental health professionals in the world. [3]

Future AOHC conferences

Related Research Articles

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Occupational health nursing is a specialty nursing practice that provides for and delivers health and safety programs and services to workers, worker populations, and community groups. The practice focuses on promotion, maintenance and restoration of health, prevention of illness and injury, and protection from work‐related and environmental hazards. Occupational health nurses (OHNs) aim to combine knowledge of health and business to balance safe and healthful work environments and a "healthy" bottom line.

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Occupational health concerns over the use of cannabis among workers are becoming increasingly important as cannabis becomes legal in more areas of the US. Of note, employers have concerns of workers either coming to work acutely impaired or recent use of cannabis still being detected in the body. Employment issues such as ADA law as it relates to accommodations for cannabis, paying unemployment benefits or paying out workers compensation benefits and disability claims are all important issues. While federal law still prohibits use, employers in different states have taken different stances based on whether they are federal contractors, perform safety sensitive work or whether the cannabis use is acutely impairing the employee.

References

  1. "ACOEM Presidents" (PDF). acoem.org. 2015. Retrieved 2021-12-09.
  2. "ACOEM Vision and Mission Statements".
  3. "AOHC".