Medical Surveillance vs. Medical Screening

On its website, OSHA provides information regarding medical surveillance and medical screening, which it states are "two fundamental strategies for optimizing employee health." OSHA admits that "the terms are often used interchangeably," even though they are two different concepts. What is the difference?

OSHA defines medical screening as "a method for detecting disease or body dysfunction before an individual would normally seek medical care." Its purpose is early diagnosis and treatment of an employee; therefore, it has a more clinical focus. Screening tests are typically for employees who do not show symptoms of an illness, but who could be "at high risk for certain adverse health outcomes."

Medical screening is just one part of a larger, more comprehensive, medical surveillance program. Medical surveillance is "the analysis of health information to look for problems that may be occurring in the workplace that require targeted prevention." As OSHA notes, "the fundamental purpose of surveillance is to detect and eliminate the underlying causes such as hazards or exposures of any discovered trends." Therefore, medical surveillance has a focus on prevention. Medical surveillance uses the information obtained through clinical analysis (for example, medical and work histories, physical assessments, biological testing) and applies this information to monitor not just the employees, but the entire site...which helps to ensure the safety of both. Both can contribute significantly to the success of worksite health and safety programs.

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