Analysis of the results of periodic medical examinations at the level of occupational health centers in the Sverdlovsk Region

Introduction. Poor quality of periodic medical examinations (PMEs) is one of the main challenges in managing occupational risks. Detection of early signs of occupational and work-related diseases is at a low level. Private healthcare providers having a license not only to conduct pre-employment and routine exams, but also to establish a causal link between a worker’s disease and his workplace, are playing an increasingly active role in conducting PMEs. The study aims to compare the results of periodic medical examinations of employees conducted in the Sverdlovsk Region by government and private organizations licensed to diagnose occupational diseases in 2020–2024. Materials and methods. We have analyzed 1,546 and 1,499 medical examination reports issued by government occupational health centers and private healthcare companies over the study period, respectively. Results. Despite the rising number of PMEs conducted by private medical centers, we noted an extremely low level of detection of occupational and chronic somatic diseases and underreporting of the number of workers at high risk of developing occupational illnesses. Such centers ignore the necessity and possibility of referring eligible workers to government-run occupational health facilities for in-depth examination in order to exclude the job-related etiology of the existing condition. Limitations. The study is limited to analyzing summary medical examination reports submitted to the Sverdlovsk Regional Occupational Health Center. Conclusion. To assess the quality of PMEs and effectiveness of management decisions taken to reduce occupational risks, a consensus of the professional community on the PME quality evaluation criteria is required. Ethics. The study did not require the approval of the local Ethics Committee.