Occupational medicine services in Colombia

Objective Characterizing the technical quality of occupational medicine services being provided by occupational health supply providing institutions (OHSPI) in Colombia's main cities. Materials and Methods This was a national descriptive cross-sectional study (2009- 2010) in which a diagnostic survey was used for obtaining data regarding 192 OHSPI. Results The study demonstrated that 76 % of the OHSPI had a license for offering occupational medicine services. Institutions provide services by subcontracting professionals and the necessary equipment. It also revealed infrequent use of integral attention for evidence-based occupational health guidelines (EBOHG). Conclusion Deficiencies affecting the quality of occupational medicine services were identified. Such deficiencies hampered in-depth studies about the effects of the risk factors on workers' health, meaning that monitoring and controlling occupational health care services offered by the OHSPI must be reinforced to assure the availability of resources and the execution of disease prevention programs to maintain and improve workers' state of health.