Program Manual - Saint Louis University

VIII. Maintenance of Health Care Records
HCW health records are maintained at Employee Health. A HCW may request access to their health records through
Employee Health. Employee Health will assure that access is provided in a reasonable time, place and manner.
(OSHA 1910.20)
A. Report and follow up for potential HCW exposures
1. SLUHospital -- Infection Control will send a memo to Employee Health and all departments involved in a
potential exposure. Department supervisors are obligated to:
a. review the Infection Control Memo with attention to the dates of possible exposure and the definition of
exposure
b. notify all HCWs being supervised of the possible exposure including the dates of possible exposure and
the definition of exposure
c. provide a list to Employee Health of HCW exposures. The supervisor must notify Employee Health if no
HCW exposures occurred.
2. Contracted Services HCWs NOT supervised by SLUCARE personnel --
These HCWs will be directed to the contracted services supervisor for reporting and for initiation of health
care services for work related injury/exposure according to the specific contracted services company policy.
3. Contracted Service employees supervised by SLUCARE personnel --
These HCWs will be directed to complete a SLUCARE Employee Report of Injury so that required incident
recording processes can be completed at SLUCARE. Emergency care for severe injuries will be provided.
These HCWs will then be directed to the contracted services company representative for initiation of health
care services for work related injury/exposure according to the specific contracted services company policy.
4. First responders or Good Samaritan --
a. If it is determined during an Infection Control case review that a potential exposure may have occurred, a
Communicable Disease Exposure Report form will be completed by Infection Control or Employee
Health and sent to the appropriate healthcare facility.
b. A Communicable Disease Exposure Report form can be forwarded to Infection Control when completed
by a Good Samaritan, first responder, a designated officer for the employer of the first responder, or a
medical provider providing health care services to the first responder on behalf of the employer. Once
received, Infection Control will perform the case review and complete the response portion of the
Communicable Disease Exposure Report form. This is returned to the inquiring party.
c. If the exposure is a potential blood borne pathogen exposure, Infection Control will forward the
Communicable Disease Exposure Report form to Employee Health for initiation of source patient testing.
This testing will follow standard approved post-exposure evaluation procedures for potential blood borne
pathogen exposures. Employee Health will then complete the response portion of the Communicable
Disease Exposure Report form and return it to the inquiring party.
5. Mortuary personnel will be notified by Infection Control of any potential exposure to a communicable disease
determined before and/or after a body has been released to them.
6. Notifications will remain confidential and will be released only to authorized personnel.
7. The Employee Health Nurse will schedule appropriate follow up with department heads and supervisors.
8. The Employee Health Nurse will send a memo summarizing the follow up and its results to Infection Control
upon completion of the follow up.
9. The Employee Health Nurse will notify Infection Control if a potential exposure/hazard is discovered during
an interview or an examination of any HCW.
B. Compliance of routine HCW health screenings: Employee Health will report compliance of routine HCW
health screenings to appropriate departments. For contract HCWs involved in screenings, the Employee Health
Department will report compliance to the responsible administrator.
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