Tom Kibby, MD, MPH, FACOEM, CIME, has been named chief medical officer of BarnesCare. Dr. Kibby has worked with BarnesCare since 2007 and has over 24 years of experience working in occupational medicine. “Dr. Kibby has worked closely with area employers providing expert care and consultation in workplace health and safety,” says Pat Venditti, executive director of BJC Corporate Health Services. “As chief medical officer, he will continue to focus on improving our quality of care and advancing our strategic vision.”

Influenza (flu) is a serious disease that can make you sick for a week or longer with coughing, fever, aching and more. It can lead to pneumonia and make existing health problems worse - like diabetes, asthma and heart disease.

Getting a flu shot is the best way to protect yourself from the flu. It also keeps you from bringing the virus home or to work to work and infecting others. There are some misconceptions about flu shots.

Workers are exposed to many hazards in the workplace. One of the most disconcerting is exposure to infectious diseases. The risks for workers who come in contact with blood and body fluids include, but are not limited to, Hepatitis B and C, and HIV. The potential for exposure is increasing. Each year in the United States, an estimated 78,000 people become infected with Hepatitis B. There are approximately 25,000 new Hepatitis C infections, with 2.9 million people chronically infected and 40,000 new HIV infections in the U.S. annually.

In an effort to better manage injuries and workers’ compensation claims within the Barnes-Jewish Hospital transport department, a team was assembled to conduct a study. The study called for investigating the plausibility of implementing Essential Function Testing for transport employee-candidates. The team was made up of staff members from throughout the organization, including workers’ compensation administration, occupational health and ergonomics. 

BarnesCare medical team leads the way with new certification requirement.