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. 2024 Feb 19;74(1):71-77.
doi: 10.1093/occmed/kqad114.

A COVID-19 monitoring process for healthcare workers utilizing occupational health

J C Crosby  1 , R A Lee  2 , G McGwin Jr  3 , S L Heath  1 , G A Burkholder  2 , R M Gravett  2 , E T Overton  2 , G Locks  4 , M E Fleece  2 , R Franco  2 , S Nafziger  5
Affiliations

A COVID-19 monitoring process for healthcare workers utilizing occupational health

J C Crosby et al. Occup Med (Lond). .

Abstract

Background: Hospital-based occupational health (HBOH) is uniquely positioned to not only prevent severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) transmission, but to care for healthcare workers (HCWs) sick with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Aims: The primary objective of this study is to describe a system where HBOH services were adapted to provide a monitoring programme whereby HCWs with SARS-CoV-2 received daily evaluations and treatment options in order to improve access to care, and to report the clinical outcomes and predictors of hospitalization in HCWs enrolled in the programme. A secondary objective is to compare clinical outcomes to data on national HCWs with COVID-19.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study used survey data collected on HCWs at a university health system with COVID-19 from 1 March 2020 through 1 December 2021. A firth regression model was used to examine the unadjusted and adjusted association between clinical factors and hospitalization.

Results: The study cohort included 4814 HCWs with COVID-19. Overall hospitalizations were 119 (2%), and there were six deaths (0.12%). Predictors of hospitalization include several co-morbidities and symptoms. A total of 1835 HCWs monitored before vaccine or monoclonal antibody availability were compared with data on U.S. HCWs in a similar time period. The monitored HCWs had a lower rate of co-morbidities (19% versus 44%, P < 0.001), a lower hospitalization rate (3% versus 8% P < 0.001) and case-fatality rate (0.11% versus 0.95% P < 0.001).

Conclusions: This monitoring strategy for COVID-19 may be feasible for HBOH systems to implement and improve access to care, but more data are needed to determine if it improves outcomes.

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Conflict of interest statement

None declared.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Flowchart of cohort included in study.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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