Between routine and innovation: Current and future developments in occupational health care
A qualitative survey
Objective:
Occupational health surveillance (OHS) is intended to safeguard employees against adverse physical and psychological effects arising from work. Its implementation in Germany is governed by the Ordinance on Occupational Health Care (ArbMedVV) and further specified by AMR 3.3 and DGUV guidance. This qualitative study explores how occupational physicians perceive and evaluate current OHS practice.
Methods:
A qualitative focus-group design was employed. Three focus groups were conducted with experienced occupational physicians from diverse practice settings—corporate in-house services, inter-company services, and private practices—to capture their perspectives on contemporary OHS challenges.
Results:
Holistic preventive care is well known and largely implemented within large corporations, whereas inter-company services and private practices still encounter implementation barriers. Overdiagnosis continues to be a relevant issue, particularly in relation to medical examinations. Participants confirmed a shift from examination-centred to consultation-centred practice, placing greater emphasis on counselling and prevention. Suggested improvements include stronger cross-sector collaboration and more systematic analysis and rapid application of insights generated through OHS activities.
Conclusions:
The findings indicate that the impact of OHS could be further enhanced by bolstering intersectoral integration, strengthening the evidence base for preventive measures, and intensifying the focus on its consultative component.
