Electronic Health Records and Work

Overview

Work and health are interconnected. Most adults in the United States work, spending a significant portion of their waking hours on the job. Work can be beneficial to health and wellbeing by:

• Fostering social connections
• Providing access to resources that can promote health
• Providing a sense of meaning and purpose

However, there are many things that can contribute to differences in health status and outcomes. They include:

• Employment opportunities
• Health insurance
• Healthcare access
• Income and benefits
• Working condition
• Occupational hazards

Occupational Data for Health

Occupational Data for Health (ODH) is a framework for collecting and using interoperable data in EHRs and other health IT systems. The ODH model describes data elements, how they relate to each other, and how they relate to a person. The following are resources for ODH.

• ODH Public Health Information Network Vocabulary Access and Distribution System (PHIN VADS) for
  • Industry
  • Occupation
• A Guide to Collection of Occupational Data for Health (ODH)*
• IHE Patient Care Coordination CDA Content Modules
• HL7 Standards Product Brief - HL7 CDA® R2 Implementation Guide
• Occupational Data for Health (ODH) FHIR IG (hl7.org)
• IHE FHIR Profile: Occupational Data for Health (ODH)
• Healthcare Standards Integration - Projects | HL7 International

The HL7^® Work and Health Functional Profile (WHFP) identifies system features to manage ODH data in electronic health records. Also, Do You Know How Occupational Data for Health Can Support Quality Care? is an introduction to ODH for healthcare professionals.

*Currently under revision, please send inquiries to EHRs_and_Work@cdc.gov.