Health Assessments

This policy applies to: All faculty and staff

I. Policy

A pre-placement health assessment is required of new University faculty and staff members who will have patient contact or will work in departments or positions where health assessments are mandated by law. Staff members who transfer into a department requiring health assessments are also subject to this policy. An annual update assessment is required of hospital staff and other specified groups. Completion of the health assessment and updates for these identified groups is a condition of employment.

II. Guidelines

A. Pre-placement Health Assessments

1. Compliance with governmental regulations: The health assessment is designed to ensure compliance with governmental regulations and to ascertain that individual faculty and staff members are capable of performing their respective duties without jeopardy to the health of self or others.
2. New York State Hospital Code: All Medical and Nursing Faculty and hospital staff members are required to have a physical exam health assessment and certain immunizations and/or laboratory tests completed in accordance with the New York State Hospital Code.
3. County, State, and Federal Codes: All faculty and staff assigned to certain positions may be required to have immunizations, laboratory tests, and/or specific assessments (such as hearing tests) in accordance with county, state, and federal regulations.
4. Some departments may require faculty and staff to have certain immunizations, laboratory tests, and/or specific assessments as departmental policy or in order to satisfy requirements such as those specified in research contracts with outside agencies.
5. Health assessments will be done on candidates hired in positions where it is necessary to get baseline health data on individuals before they start work and periodically thereafter.

B. Update Assessment Program

1. Updates are required of all hospital staff in accordance with New York State Health Codes.
2. Employees in certain positions will be required to undergo periodic updates after following establishment of the baseline health data. These groups include:
   1. Employees in the University’s Hearing Conservation Program.
   2. Employees hired to work with primates and other animals, or hazardous substances, whose jobs require semiannual or annual updates and special tests.
   3. Employees in University Health Service, certain positions in Microbiology and the Vivarium, and other groups as required by departments.
3. Faculty in the School of Medicine and Dentistry and in the School of Nursing may be enrolled in this program at the request of their Deans. With the approval of their Dean, Faculty may fulfill this requirement either by an evaluation at University Health Service (UHS) or by providing UHS with the appropriate form completed by them and their personal physician within thirty days after their appointment date.

III. Procedures

A. A health assessment, at least two days prior to the prospective staff member’s first day of work is required and is scheduled by The Employment Center or Nursing Practice.

B. Employees will be notified by letter when to schedule updates.