Question 1

What does an occupational health physician do?

Accepted Answer

An occupational health physician is your point of contact for everything related to work and healthIf you become ill or experience health problems, you may be required to see an occupational health physician. This medical specialist looks at you, your health and your work. Who are you as a person? Why are you experiencing these symptoms at this particular time, and how might they relate to your work? Are you able to work despite your symptoms, both now and in the future? Do any aspects of your work need to be adjusted?If you report sick to your employer, your employer is legally required to involve an occupational health physician to advise both you and your employer. Your consultation with the occupational health physician is subject to medical confidentiality. The occupational health physician then advises both you and your employer through a problem analysis. To protect your privacy, this advice is provided exclusively in non-medical terms permitted by law.

Question 2

Preventing illness

Accepted Answer

An occupational health physician does not only provide advice once you are ill or experiencing health problems. They can also help prevent these problems. As an employee, you have a legal right to attend an open consultation with an occupational health physician to seek advice about work and health.

Question 3

A versatile professional

Accepted Answer

An occupational health physician is therefore a versatile professional who considers you as an individual as well as the circumstances and relationships within your workplace, and provides advice accordingly. The aim is to help you stay or become healthy and ensure that you can continue working as effectively and enjoyably as possible.

Question 4

Knowledge & skills

Accepted Answer

An occupational health physician has extensive knowledge of both mental and physical health conditions. They generally do not provide treatment themselves, but they know which healthcare professional is best placed to provide the appropriate treatment. In consultation with you, they can refer you to such a healthcare professional or coordinate a referral with your GP.

Question 5

Occupational health physician & occupational health doctor?

Accepted Answer

Question 6

Occupational health physician

Accepted Answer

An occupational health physician has completed a degree in Medicine followed by an additional four-year specialist training programme. The professional title of occupational health physician is legally protected in the Netherlands. Occupational health physicians are registered in the BIG register, the Dutch register for healthcare professionals. Their registration lists the specialism ‘occupational health and medicine – occupational medicine’.

Question 7

Occupational health doctor

Accepted Answer

Occupational health doctors have also completed a degree in Medicine and, like occupational health physicians, are registered in the BIG register. However, they have not completed the specialist training in ‘occupational health and medicine – occupational medicine’. In principle, occupational health doctors may perform many of the same activities as occupational health physicians. However, they always work under the supervision of an occupational health physician. Another difference is that an occupational health doctor is not authorised to refer someone to a medical specialist, whereas an occupational health physician is.On the Working at Cohesie page, you can find the BIG registration numbers of our professionals, which you can use to look up their registration in the BIG register.

Question 8

Occupational Health Physician Assistant?

Accepted Answer

The Occupational Health Physician Assistant supports the occupational health physician. The occupational health physician works together with an Occupational Health Physician Assistant, allowing the physician to dedicate more time to complex cases and prevention.

Question 9

What does an Occupational Health Physician Assistant do?

Accepted Answer

The assistant performs specific tasks on behalf of and under the responsibility of the occupational health physician. The occupational health physician remains ultimately responsible for all advice and guidance provided. The Occupational Health Physician Assistant works closely with the occupational health physician.Specific tasks in absence managementAfter speaking with an employee, the occupational health physician may ask the Occupational Health Physician Assistant to conduct the employee’s next consultation. The occupational health physician continues to have access to the complete case file and remains responsible for coordinating the employee’s occupational health guidance.Specific tasks in the workplace or organisationOn behalf of the occupational health physician, the Occupational Health Physician Assistant can perform specific tasks relating to absence management and prevention within the workplace. For example, the assistant may consult with managers or HR regarding absence management and prevention.Access to the occupational health physicianEmployees always retain the option of scheduling an appointment with the occupational health physician if a consultation with the Occupational Health Physician Assistant is not sufficient for their situation.

Question 10

Visiting the occupational health physician

Accepted Answer

What can you expect when you visit the occupational health physician? How can you prepare, and what should you make sure not to forget? Use our information and tips to get the most out of your consultation.

Question 11

Attending a consultation

Accepted Answer

If you are absent due to illness and the occupational health physician asks you to attend a consultation, you are required to comply with this request. The invitation will state where you need to go and who you will be seeing. Would you like to consult an occupational health physician on your own initiative to ask for advice about healthy and safe working? Your employer can tell you who to contact. If you no longer have an employer and fall under the Dutch Sickness Benefits Act (Ziektewet), please contact the organisation responsible for supporting you, such as UWV or a private provider.

Question 12

Travel distance

Accepted Answer

Please bear in mind that you may need to travel some distance to see an occupational health physician. Due to a shortage of occupational health physicians in the Netherlands, some regions have more of these medical specialists available than others.

Question 13

Duration of the consultation

Accepted Answer

The amount of time reserved for your consultation depends on your situation. An initial consultation will generally take longer than a follow-up appointment. If you are absent due to illness, the occupational health physician will, where possible, familiarise themselves with your situation beforehand. This allows the consultation time to be used efficiently and enables the physician to focus quickly on the relevant issues.

Question 14

Assessment

Accepted Answer

The occupational health physician will ask specific questions about your health and your work situation.

Question 15

Always bring this with you!

Accepted Answer

A valid form of identification. The occupational health physician may ask to see this to confirm your identity.

Question 16

Medication you are taking

Accepted Answer

It is important for the occupational health physician to know whether you are taking medication and, if so, which medication. Make a list or bring the packaging with you.

Question 17

Details of your treating physician(s)

Accepted Answer

If you are receiving treatment from one or more other medical specialists, this is also important information for the occupational health physician.Do you have questions for the occupational health physician? Write them down beforehand so you do not forget to ask them.Bear in mind that a lot of information may be discussed during the consultation. Bring a pen and paper so you can make a note of important agreements and information.

Question 18

Privacy

Accepted Answer

A consultation with an occupational health physician is always confidential. The occupational health physician is bound by medical confidentiality. For example, they may not share information about your health with your employer without your consent.

Question 19

Duty to provide information

Accepted Answer

At the same time, if you are absent due to illness, you are required to provide the occupational health physician with complete and truthful information. To advise both you and your employer properly, the physician needs to understand exactly what is happening. They must also be able to assess whether or not you are able to work and advise you and your employer about returning to work.

Frequently Asked Questions

Questions & Answers

Video consultation

My employer and me

My medical file

Disagreeing with the occupational health physician

Privacy for employees

Second opinion

Frequently Asked Questions

Questions & Answers

What does an occupational health physician do?

Occupational health physician & occupational health doctor?

Occupational Health Physician Assistant?

Visiting the occupational health physician

Video consultation

I have received an invitation for a video consultation. What does this mean?

My employer and me

Can the occupational health physician tell my employer everything I have discussed with them?

My medical file

Do I have the right to access my complete medical file held by the occupational health physician?

Disagreeing with the occupational health physician

What if you disagree with the occupational health physician?

Do you have doubts about the advice?

Second opinion

Deviating from NVAB guidelines

Privacy for employees

Under privacy regulations, is my employer allowed to ask what work I can and cannot perform when I am ill?

Can members of a treatment team exchange medical information about me without my consent?

Can an occupational health physician or occupational health provider share my medical information with the reintegration company supporting me?

Second opinion

Can my occupational health physician refuse to refer me for a second opinion?

Who pays for a second opinion that I request as an employee on sick leave?

Can my occupational health physician recommend a specific provider for the second opinion?

Will my reintegration process be put on hold during the second opinion?