Occupational Health Services
Corporate Care services at RWJBarnabas Health provides occupational medicine services for companies that require medical testing and treatment of their employees. This can include pre-employment testing, immunization requirements, workers’ compensation benefits, tests to ensure fitness for duty, independent medical examinations (IME), health risk appraisals and more.
We treat injuries that occur while employees are at work with services ranging from orthopedic care to neurological care to podiatry. We offer these employee health services at a variety of locations throughout New Jersey. Services are detailed below.
Annual Physicals
The job candidate will undergo a physical exam that typically includes a check of vital signs like blood pressure and heart rate, an assessment of height and weight, and an examination of various body systems such as the cardiovascular, respiratory and musculoskeletal systems. Uniformed employees and those of federal regulatory standards can have more extensive testing performed.
Audiological Tests
These are hearing tests. A standard adult evaluation includes the following tests:
- Tympanometry. Tympanometry evaluates the function of the middle ear. This test determines whether the eardrum is moving appropriately and assesses middle ear pressure.
- Acoustic reflex testing. This test assesses whether the stapedius muscle in the middle ear responds normally to sound. An audiological evaluation is a series of diagnostic procedures used to determine the type, degree and configuration of hearing loss. The goal of this evaluation is to develop a treatment plan that is unique to the person’s needs in order to improve their communication skills.
Breath Alcohol Test
The breath alcohol test (BAT) measures the amount of alcohol in the blood by testing exhaled air. The test is performed by blowing into a breath machine 15 minutes after alcohol consumption. The test determines how much alcohol it takes to raise the blood-alcohol level to a dangerous level.
DOT/CDL Physical
A Department of Transportation (DOT) physical is a physical exam that is required of people who drive commercial vehicles and require commercial driver’s licenses (CDL). A DOT physical aims to ensure that people who are driving commercial motor vehicles (CMVs), such as large trucks and buses, are physically, mentally and emotionally fit.
Drug Testing
A drug test looks for signs of illegal or prescription drugs in a sample of urine (pee), blood, saliva (spit), hair or sweat.
Electrocardiogram (ECG/EKG)
In this heart function test, electrodes are placed on the skin to monitor and record the heart’s activity through repeated cardiac cycles. An electrocardiogram is a printout of that recording. It is a graph of voltage versus time of the electrical activity of the heart.
Exercise Stress Tests
An exercise stress test helps determine how well a person’s heart functions during times when it is working its hardest. Typical tests involve walking on a treadmill or pedaling on a stationary bike while connected to an EKG to monitor your heart's activity.
FAA Aviation Medical Evaluations (Pilot Evaluations)
To obtain a pilot's license in the United States, an applicant must first pass a Federal Aviation Administration-approved physical examination by an FAA-designated aviation medical examiner (AME) who certifies they are healthy enough to fly an airplane in United States air space.
As part of RWJBarnabas Health’s Corporate Care program, we provide medical examinations for second-class pilots – these pilots fly commercial planes – and third-class pilots – students, recreational and private pilots.
The flight physical takes about 30 minutes and involves several steps, including checking a pilot’s eyesight and hearing, as well as a complete physical examination. If the pilot meet the required medical standards, the AME issues a medical certificate. Learn more about Aviation Medical Examinations.
Fit for Duty Test
An employee is fit for duty when they are able to perform their essential job functions, with or without a reasonable accommodation, in a manner that does not prose a direct threat. An employee's essential job functions are the fundamental duties of the position or the primary reasons the position exists.
A typical Fit for Duty Exam may include a vision test as well as blood, urine or breath analysis to check for alcohol use. Testing may include checks for diseases or genetic markers.
Functional Capacity Tests (FCE)
A functional capacity evaluation (FCE) is a set of tests that are used to identify a person’s physical skills, functional capacities, activities, endurance and work tolerance. Depending on the testing level, an FCE can take 4 to 8 hours to complete.
Immunization/Vaccinations
Immunization is the process of giving a vaccine to a person to protect then against disease. A vaccine is biological protection against disease, usually administered through an injection.
Lab Work
A laboratory (lab) test checks a sample of your blood, urine, or other body fluid or tissue to learn about your health. At the lab, health care professionals test the sample to determine whether it contains certain substances and, if so, how much.
Lift Testing
A lift test is intended to determine the maximum weight an individual can lift without causing injury and to provide recommendation for safe lifting technique and equipment.
Pre-Employment Physical/Post-Offer Physical
A pre-employment physical is defined as a medical exam that is commonly required as a condition of a job offer for certain types of physically demanding positions. During a pre-employment physical, a licensed medical practitioner checks the applicant's weight, blood pressure, pulse, possible drug/alcohol testing, lab work (titers and vaccinations) and other important vital signs.
Titer Testing
A titer is a laboratory test that measures the presence and amount of antibodies in blood. A titer may be used to prove immunity to disease. A health care professional will draw a blood sample which will be tested in a lab to see if the individual has immunity.
Urine Drug Screening (UDS)
A urine drug test, also known as a urine drug screen or a UDS, analyzes urine for the presence of certain illegal drugs and prescription medications. It usually screens for amphetamines.
Vision Tests
There are three types of vision tests offered through RWJBarnabas Health Corporate Care services: Titmus vision test, Ishihara vision color test, and vision acuity test.
- Titmus vision test. The Titmus vision exam uses a machine that tests near and distance vision, binocular vision and peripheral vision. We work with companies to customize the test to the needs of the occupation the candidate will be working in if necessary.
- Ishihara vision color test. This color vision test makes numbers out of dots that are a different color than the dots surrounding them.
- Vision acuity test. The visual acuity test is used to determine the smallest letters you can read on a standardize chart called a Snellen chart, or on a card held 20 feet away.
Mobile Health
For some tests we can come to your location for your convenience. Our offerings for mobile health testing including:
- On-site drug/blood alcohol testing
- Tuberculosis (TB) testing
- Department of Transportation (DOT) testing
- Respiratory Fit Test
- Vaccinations/immunization
Return to Work
Return-to-work physical exams help to ensure that it's safe for you to go back to work after an injury. If you're not ready, they help determine when it would be right for you to return to work. This reduces your risk of getting injured again.
Respiratory Fit Tests
A fit test is a test protocol conducted to verify that a respirator is both comfortable and provides the wearer with the expected protection. At times, an Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) questionnaire review is required as well as a respiratory clearance by a medical provider.
Pulmonary Function Tests
A pulmonary function test (PFT) measures the breath in your lungs. The three PFT types we perform are spirometry, lung volume testing and lung diffusion capacity.
- Spirometry. A spirometry test measures how much air you breathe out and how fast you can blow air out of your lungs.
- Lung volume test. A lung volume test, also known as body plethysmography, is the most accurate way to measure the amount of air your lungs can hold.
- Lung diffusion capacity test. This test measures how well a person’s lungs are exchanging gases between their lungs and their blood.
Tuberculosis Testing
Types of tuberculosis (TB) testing available through RWJBarnabas Health include:
- PPD (2-phase test). If one kind of test, the Mantoux tuberculin skin test (TST), is used to test health care personnel upon hire (pre-placement), this two-step testing should be used. Some people with latent TB infection have a negative reaction when tested years after being infected. The first TST may stimulate or boost a reaction.
- QuantiFERON. QuantiFERON-TB Gold (QFT) is a simple blood test that aids in the detection of mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB), the bacteria which causes tuberculosis (TB).
- T-Spot. The T-Spot TB test looks for cells that have been specifically activated by MTB antigens and is intended to help diagnose MTB infection.
Workers’ Compensation Services
RWJBarnabas Health’s Corporate Care department offers a comprehensive suite of services for employees who experience work-related injuries or illnesses. Workers’ compensation care services encompass a wide range of occupational health services to diagnose, treat, and rehabilitate injured workers to ensure they recover and return to work as soon as possible. Learn more about Workers’ Compensation Care Services.
Uniformed Employees Exams (Police, Fire, Correction, Prosecutors’ Office)
Police Health Exams in New Jersey
To work on the police force in New Jersey, health exams are required. We offer:
- A thorough medical history report
- Physical Examination (as reported on the standardized ICE forms)
- Urinalysis (dipstick)
- Tuberculosis (TB) skin test
- Electrocardiogram (ECG/EKG)
- Complete blood count (CBC)
- Chest X-ray if indicated based on TB skin test or other findings from the history and/or physical examination
Firefighter Health in New Jersey
To work as a firefighter in New Jersey, health exams are required. We offer:
- Vision Color Test (Ishihara)
- Far Vision Acuity Screen (Snellen)
- Audiometric Testing
- Resting 12-lead ECG w/interpretation by cardiologist
- Comprehensive Metabolic Panel
- Lipid Panel
- Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) Questionaire-15Q
- Health History Questionnaire Review
- Urinalysis
- Uric Acid Blood Test
- Complete Blood Count (CBC) with white blood count (WBC) differential
- Hepatitis B Surface Antibody (HBsAB) Test
- Pulmonary Function Test with interpretation by pulmonologist
- Stress Test (Bruce Protocol Exercise Stress Test to 12 METS, with Interpretation by a cardiologist)
- Rapid 10 Panel Drug Screen - M-Cup