In May 2021 DOKTR was launched, a secure and easy-to-use application for video medical consultations for general medical consultations.
Just over a year later, DOKTR is partnering with Cohezio, an External Service for Prevention and Protection at Work (SEPPT), to launch the first occupational health video consultations. A pilot project is being launched this October among 180 workers. An evaluation is planned for the end of 2022, with the prospect of expanding this type of consultation, which offers undeniable advantages for employers, workers and occupational physicians.
Starting this October, 180 workers at Proximus customer service (affiliated with Cohezio) will no longer have to travel to the Cohezio occupational health physician for their medical examination. They will be the first to test, as part of a pilot project, the occupational health examination by teleconsultation via the secure application specially designed for medical examinations DOKTR.
This pilot project is approved and supported by the FPS Employment, Labor and Social Dialog, the supervisory authority of the SEPPT.
The workers, after being informed and sensitized, will be invited in the days preceding the consultation to download the DOKTR application on their smartphone and identify themselves via ITSME.
They will also receive an invitation to their medical examination, by email, which will specify that the consultation is be held by teleconsultation. However, if they prefer to be seen in person, this is also possible on request, as there will be no obligation to have the examination carried out via teleconsultation.
On the day and at the time of the medical examination, the worker will receive a message and a call from the occupational physician via the application. The consultation between the doctor and the employee is done through a secure video in the application to ensure maximum security and confidentiality of data.
Advantages
Most medical exams are required by law for workers subject to specific risks. Thanks to teleconsultation, they can obviously save time and travel costs. Moreover, employees could also, in time, contact the labor doctor more easily and quickly if necessary (in the context of spontaneous consultations, at the employee’s request). The only thing the employer must provide is an available room, so that the confidentiality of the consultations is guaranteed.
For Cohezio, and external prevention and protection services in general, the gradual transition to totally secure teleconsultations for certain types of examinations will make it possible to increase the availability and accessibility of occupational physicians, a profession that is notoriously short of doctors.
Travel from one company or consultation center to another will be reduced, as well as the time between two consultations, the risks of delay or absence from a consultation will be limited and empty slots will be more easily filled in the event of a worker being unavailability/absent . The time required to obtain certain examinations could also be reduced.
Only certain occupational medicine examinations will take place by teleconference going forward. These are obviously examinations that do not require certain technical procedures to be carried out by nursing or medical staff (eye tests, spirometry, vaccination, ECG, etc.). This includes certain periodic examinations, certain examinations prior to resumption of work, examinations in the context of maternity protection and breastfeeding, and certain spontaneous examinations.
The pilot project will be evaluated by all parties at the end of 2022. If it is successful and the authorities give their green light, it will gradually be extended to other Cohezio client organizations.
