NEWS RELEASE

Ephraim McDowell Health is now offering a newly expanded occupational health service for local industries and their workforce. Ephraim McDowell Occupational Health is located at 101 Daniel Drive in Danville, in the basement of the Ephraim McDowell Diagnostic Center building.

The center will offer:

• Drug screenings – DOT and non-DOT

• Immunizations – pre-employment and annual

• Wellness offerings

• Pre-employment physicals – DOT and non-DOT

• Pre-employment screenings

• Audiometric testing

• Pulmonary function testing

• Post offer, fit for duty and ergonomics

• Workers comp needs – coming soon

Services available onsite at industries will take a proactive approach to injury prevention and include:

• Job Coaching – working alongside the associate/employee, arranging workstation for improved workflow, coaching body and lifting mechanics

• Office and workstation ergonomics to decrease risk of musculoskeletal disorders

• Job modification as needed to decrease risk of musculoskeletal disorders

• Job demands analysis – detailed ergonomic assessment of work area, breaking down each job into tasks with recommendations for change to decrease risk musculoskeletal injury

• Job description – writing of job description that incorporates the physical demands of the essential functions of the job that includes, walking, pushing, pulling, lifting, coordination, sitting, standing, and more

• Pre-shift exercise programs -designed by department or facility

• Assessment of injured workers’ job tasks during safety analysis – post injury

• On-site treatment per OSHA first-aid guidelines

Services will be provided by Debbie Edelen, APRN, advanced practice provider, Tonya Sutton, OTR/L, CEAS, HEAS, occupational therapist and Melissa Vaughn, R.N.

Edelen obtained her bachelor’s degree in nursing at Eastern Kentucky University in 1985 and went on to earn her master’s degree in nursing in 2000. She is board-certified in family practice and has provided care to patients in primary care, walk-in acute care and pediatrics for 22 years.

Sutton has 20 years of experience as an occupational therapist across many areas of practice including outpatient occupational therapy and work and industry. Sutton earned her certification as an Ergonomic Assessment Specialist from the Back School of Atlanta in 2004 and Certification in Healthcare Ergonomics in 2022. Sutton has worked with industries in the area since 2003 teaching body mechanics and safe lifting during new employee orientation, developing pre-shift stretch and flex programs, performing job task analysis to determine risk factor for musculoskeletal disorders and injury, writing job descriptions based on job demands analysis, performing Pre-Employment Post-Offer Testing, Functional Capacity Evaluations, completing both office and industrial ergonomic assessments and providing early intervention for injury based on OSHA’s first aid standards.

Vaughn has been a R.N. since 2006. She has spent four years in infection control, four years in case management, four years in ICU, and three years in Cardiac Rehab. She is certified in (CAOHC) Council for Accreditation in Occupational Hearing Conservation, Certified Case Management, DOT urine specimen collection and CPR.

Ephraim McDowell Occupational Health office hours are Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Appointments must be scheduled. Non-traditional hours are available upon request. For more information, please call (859) 239-3484.