Can Integrative Health Solutions Help Employees While Cutting Costs? – EHS Today
Posted: February 5, 2021 at 11:55 pm
A little late to the party, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently issued a new guidance that requires employers to obtain informed consent from employees before testing them for COVID-19.
Last October, the CDC released its original guidance on employer testing, but didnt get around to issuing the revised guidance containing the informed consent requirement until Jan. 21. The new guidance also includes measures an employer can take to ensure employees are fully supported in their decision-making.
The new guidance states: Workplace-based testing should not be conducted without the employees informed consent. Informed consent requires disclosure, understanding and free choice, and is necessary for an employee to act independently and make choices according to their values, goals and preferences.
Another earlier guidance issued by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) also directed employers to obtain informed consent before testing, note attorneys for the law firm of Jackson Lewis. Many state and federal directives also stress the role of testing when sending workers home and allowing them to return to work after they have recovered from the disease.
In its new guidance, CDC urges employers to provide the workers who will be tested with complete and understandable information about how the employers testing program may impact employees lives, such as if a positive test result or declination to participate in testing may mean exclusion from work.
When an employer is developing a COVID-19 testing program, the CDC recommends that the following basic considerations be addressed:
Why is the employer offering the test to begin with?
How frequently will employees be tested?
How to effectively obtain employee consent.
What to do if an employee declines to be tested.
The CDC also offers a list of key measures an employer should implement when developing a testing program to ensure that an employees informed consent is obtained and a supportive environment is created. They are:
Make sure safeguards are in place to protect an employees privacy and confidentiality.
Provide complete and understandable information about how the employers testing program may impact employees lives, such as if a positive test result occurs or that a declination to participate in testing may mean exclusion from work.
Explain any parts of the testing program an employee would consider especially important when deciding whether to participate. This involves explaining the key reasons that may guide their decision.
Provide information about the testing program in the employees preferred language using non-technical terms. Consider obtaining employee input on the readability of the information. Employers can use this tool provided by the CDC to create clear messages.
Encourage supervisors and coworkers to avoid pressuring employees to participate in testing.
Encourage and answer questions during the consent process. The consent process is active information sharing between an employer or their representative and an employee, in which the employer discloses the information, answers questions to facilitate understanding, and promotes the employees free choice.
The Jackson Lewis attorneys remind employers that, in order to ensure informed consent, an employee must be provided with certain disclosures regarding the workplace testing program.
These must include disclosures required in the Food and Drug Administration emergency use authorization patient fact sheet for the particular test, such as the type of the test, how the test will be performed, and known and potential risks.
Importantly, these disclosures must be provided during the consent process; meaning, employers will have to know this information and ensure it is provided to employees prior to the employee agreeing to the test, the attorneys stress.
They say employers need to consider which aspects of the testing program may be more relevant than others to an employees decision about whether to accept an offered test and include the appropriate disclosures. Other areas to consider include the process for scheduling tests and how the cost of the tests will be covered; and what employees should expect at the testing site, such as screening.
Other such considerations should include covering what will be the recommended next steps that are expected to occur if an employee tests positive, and what assistance will be made available should an employee be injured while the test is administered.
Privacy and security issues are top priorities to consider when implementing such a program, the attorneys warn. For example, employers must consider what personal information must be supplied to the test provider (for example, name, date of birth, insurance and other information), the test results to follow, and the myriad of issues that arise once that information is obtained.
The employer must look at whether, where and for how long the organization will retain the results. Other questions that need to be answered include how will personal information be kept confidential and secure, and how will the employer keep the results confidential and secure, along with who will have access to the results?
Employee test results are considered confidential medical information and, while not subject to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) in the employer-employee context, this information may be protected under state and common law.
Consider, for example, that some states, (such as California and Florida) include medical information as part of the definition of personal information under their breach notification laws, the attorneys point out. Accordingly, if that information is breached, which could include access to the information by an unauthorized party, notification to affected individuals and relevant state agencies may be required.
In addition, they remind employers that statutory and common law obligations mandate that employers safeguard employee personal information, which may include information about their physical health, such as the test results or information provided by the employee before taking the test.
Thus, maintaining reasonable safeguards to protect such information is prudent, the Jackson Lewis attorneys say. This could include access management measures, and record retention and destruction policies. It also may include clear guidelines for making disclosures of this information and whether authorization is needed before it may be disclosed to, or accessed by, a third party.
The attorneys also remind employers that workplace temperature and symptom screening protocols have been mandated or recommended by nearly every state and city across the country. These measures are essential in halting the spread of the virus and ensuring a safe and healthy workplace and workforce. Nevertheless, organizations must consider the legal risks, challenges and requirements before implementing such measures.
View post:
Can Integrative Health Solutions Help Employees While Cutting Costs? - EHS Today
- Nehi Bali's Hoslistic Health Courses Land In The UAE - About Her - February 25th, 2021
- Combine Fasting & Holistic Health With This Four-Week Program - mindbodygreen.com - February 25th, 2021
- Why fusion of modern, alternative medicine is unfeasible - Hindustan Times - February 25th, 2021
- Indiana Regenerative Medicine Welcomes Annamarie Salyer to the Practice - Zionsville Monthly Magazine - February 25th, 2021
- BJP deems Rajasthan budget disappointing, ruling Congress says its presented a holistic one - Hindustan Times - February 25th, 2021
- Regenerative Medicine Market in Demand: Sentiment is Shifting Towards Growth | Size, Growth, Demand, Opportunities, Analysis and Forecast To 2028 KSU... - February 25th, 2021
- Homeopathic Medicine Market Size 2021 | Analysis, Regional Outlook, Competitive Strategies And Forecast up to 2027 - NY Market Reports - February 25th, 2021
- Cannabis Brand Cookies Enters The CBD And Mushroom Medicine Game With Caps Line - Forbes - February 25th, 2021
- A Guide to Acupuncture Businesses in Hoboken and Jersey City - hobokengirl.com - February 25th, 2021
- 3 keys to quality, head-to-toe... - Bothell-Kenmore Reporter - February 25th, 2021
- Need a little TLC? The Licking News - The Licking News - February 25th, 2021
- Pear Therapeutics Announces Publication of Economic Analysis Showing Cost-Effectiveness of reSET-O in Treating Opioid Use Disorder - BioSpace - February 25th, 2021
- Global Cell and Gene Therapy Market to Reach $25.00 Billion by 2027, Reports BIS Research - PRNewswire - February 25th, 2021
- Emergency Internet Subsidy Will Aide in Closing Digital Gap in Black Communities - BroadbandBreakfast.com - February 25th, 2021
- MOVE IT OR LOSE IT! - Boothbay Register - February 19th, 2021
- The Supplement That Pros Use To Look & Feel More Awake - mindbodygreen.com - February 19th, 2021
- 'I don't want to introduce my friends to my partner' - Times of India - February 19th, 2021
- Most Trending Report of Precision Medicine Market is Expected to Contribute Towards the Growth During The Forecast Period 2021-2026 | KSU | The... - February 19th, 2021
- The unintended consequences of the Macpherson report - Spectator.co.uk - February 19th, 2021
- 'Adaptive' Yoga Opens This Practice to Everyone - WebMD - February 19th, 2021
- Finding the unexpected positives during COVID times - Harvard Gazette - February 19th, 2021
- Novartis and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation collaborate to discover and develop an accessible in vivo gene therapy for sickle cell disease -... - February 19th, 2021
- Demystifying the healing practice of Naturopathy - The Times of India Blog - February 19th, 2021
- Medical Remedies Solutions for Skin Burns Market Potential Growth, Share and Demand Analysis of Key Players 3M, Molnlycke Health Care, ConvaTec, Paul... - February 19th, 2021
- Growth of digital health from Covid-19 creating unforeseen insurance perils, according to Willis Towers Watson - GlobeNewswire - February 19th, 2021
- Comprehensive Analysis on Sleep Medicine Industry Market based on types and application - AlgosOnline - February 19th, 2021
- History in real time: special collections team's effort to document COVID-19 - The Collegian - The Collegian - February 19th, 2021
- Think About It: Azarenka examines food as medicine with Dr. Rupy Aujla - Tennis Magazine - February 17th, 2021
- Stanford's John Tanner Named 2020 USOPC College Coach Of The Year - SwimSwam - February 17th, 2021
- Global Organoids And Spheroids Market Is Projected to Grow at an Exponential Rate over 2020 to 2028 | Market Top Players Analysis, Revenue,... - February 17th, 2021
- Bernard Lown, doctor at the vanguard of cardiac care, antiwar activist who shared Nobel Peace Prize, dies at 99 - The Boston Globe - February 17th, 2021
- Global Seaweed Products Market 2021 Covering Key Factors and Competitive Outlook By Seakura, Kelpak, Seagate Products, Cargill KSU | The Sentinel... - February 17th, 2021
- How Parsley Health Pivoted From Chic Clinics To A National Telehealth Platform - Forbes - February 14th, 2021
- Hispanic, Latinx residents of N.J. say they need more COVID vaccine info - especially in Spanish - NJ.com - February 14th, 2021
- New Research on COVID-19: Greek Herbs Are Powerful - The Pappas Post - February 14th, 2021
- Experts Unpack Longevity Secrets From 5 Different Cultures Around the Globe - Well+Good - February 14th, 2021
- Regenerative Medicine Market-Segmentation And Analysis By Recent Trends, Development And Growth By Regions To, Analysis, Forecast To 2026 KSU | The... - February 14th, 2021
- Perspectives on Transitioning Step 1 of the United States Medical Lice | AMEP - Dove Medical Press - February 14th, 2021
- Arab World Needs A Renaissance Of The Sciences - OpEd - Eurasia Review - February 14th, 2021
- General Medicine Education Publishing Market Competitive Intelligence and Tracking Report 2020 2026 | RELX plc, Kaplan, Inc., McGraw-Hill Education ... - February 14th, 2021
- The National Academy of Sports Medicine Launches a Revolutionary Personal Training Program that Makes It Quick, Easy and Affordable to Start a... - February 14th, 2021
- Precision Medicine Software Market: Analysis of Rising Business Opportunities with Prominent Investment Ratio by 2026 | Syapse, Inc., 2bPrecise LLC,... - February 14th, 2021
- Working in Wellness: The Allure of Acupuncture - Mpls.St.Paul Magazine - February 14th, 2021
- Covid-19 impact on Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare Market Business Opportunities, Analysis and Overview by 2026 | Welltok, Inc., Intel... - February 11th, 2021
- CRISPR and CAS Gene Market Breakdown, Development and New Market Opportunities & Forecasts | Caribou Biosciences Inc., CRISPR Therapeutics, Mirus... - February 11th, 2021
- AACN Announces 2021 Election Results for Board of Directors and Nominating Committee - Newswise - February 11th, 2021
- This group of workers could help turnaround quality of life -- and the economy - CNN - February 11th, 2021
- Sports Medicine Market Size, Top Key Players, Applications, Business Statistics, Trends and Forecast 2021-2027 NeighborWebSJ - NeighborWebSJ - February 7th, 2021
- Changing the face of medical education - The Borneo Post - February 7th, 2021
- Dr. Armand Amselem Shares His Inputs on the Evolution of Dentistry and Its Latest Trends - Daily Front Row - February 5th, 2021
- Black pastors receive COVID-19 vaccine, hoping to encourage others - Pastor Jerry Young receiving Covid-19 vaccination - Themississippilink - February 5th, 2021
- Engelbert Humperdinck begs for prayers as his wife has Covid and Alzheimer's - Mirror Online - February 5th, 2021
- Global Magnetic Resonance, Computed Tomography, and Nuclear Medicine Imaging Market Landscape Assessment By Type, Opportunities And Higher Growth Rate... - February 5th, 2021
- Could Implicit Bias Affect Imaging Screens in the Pediatric ED? - PatientEngagementHIT.com - February 5th, 2021
- From Madinah to the Muslim world: A new museum dedicated to the life of the Prophet - Arab News - February 5th, 2021
- New Jersey Health And Wellness Clinic The Youth Fountain Is Offering Holistic Weight Loss Treatments - Press Release - Digital Journal - February 5th, 2021
- Sports Medicine Market Present Scenario, Key Vendors, Industry Share, and Growth Forecast up to 2028 KSU | The Sentinel Newspaper - KSU | The... - February 5th, 2021
- Aesthetic Medicine and Cosmetics Market Size And Forecast (2020-2026)| With Post Impact Of Covid-19 By Top Leading Players- NuYu Medispa,Medica... - February 5th, 2021
- This Is The Largest Barrier To Medical Cannabis Use In Florida - The Fresh Toast - February 3rd, 2021
- New clinics to change face of health care in Grand Forks - Grand Forks Herald - February 3rd, 2021
- More new restaurants are coming to the Philadelphia area. Heres what they will be serving. - The Philadelphia Inquirer - February 3rd, 2021
- Legendary MD Anderson faculty member Dr. Emil J Freireich passes away at 93 - HOUSTON Emil J Freireich M.D. a trailblazing oncologist who developed... - February 3rd, 2021
- [Full text] Non-Surgical Interventions for Hospitalized Adults with Class II or Cl | DMSO - Dove Medical Press - February 3rd, 2021
- Lighted Mirror Medicine Cabinets Consumption Market Report By Application, Type, Top Companies, Growth, Regional Outlook, and Forecast to 2027 ... - February 3rd, 2021
- Regenerative Medicine Market-Segmentation And Analysis By Recent Trends, Development And Growth By Regions To, Analysis, Forecast To 2026 - The... - February 3rd, 2021
- Husband-and-Wife Medical Duo Confront the Deficiencies of America's Healthcare System in New Documentary - PRNewswire - February 1st, 2021
- Reviving Mind Introduces 360 Mental Health Therapy and Wellness program - Woburn Daily Times - February 1st, 2021
- Opioid Management in the Dying Child With Addiction - American Academy of Pediatrics - February 1st, 2021
- Wellness foods often get seen through a Western lens. These Bay Area Asian Americans are trying to reclaim them - San Francisco Chronicle - January 30th, 2021
- What Is Health and Wellness? Article - MedicineNet - January 30th, 2021
- SkinCeuticals Announces Opening Of SkinLab In Partnership With Cosmetic Surgery Institute - PRNewswire - January 30th, 2021
- What Is a Mental Health Counselor? Plus Where You Can Find One - Healthline - January 30th, 2021
- How this New York medical school boosted diversity by 45% - American Medical Association - January 28th, 2021
- Fernwood Holistic Health: 'Right now, it's more important than ever to take care of your health' - Shoreline Times - January 28th, 2021
- Sri Ramakrishna Hospital's Holistic Approach to Childcare and Advice on How to Deal with Fevers in Babies and Children - PR Newswire India - January 28th, 2021
- Clever Care Health Plan Announces Addition to Board of Directors - PR Web - January 28th, 2021
- St. Petersburg clinic touts ancient form of cupping to heal muscles, reduce inflammation - FOX 13 Tampa Bay - January 28th, 2021
- SkinCeuticals Announces Opening Of SkinLab In Partnership With Cosmetic Surgery Institute - Monterey County Weekly - January 28th, 2021
- Lakeshore part of MENTOR program for rehabilitation and wellness - UAB News - January 28th, 2021
- Naturopathy 101 with Saimaa Miller are you open to holistic healing? - Prestige Online - January 28th, 2021