Transforming Factory Health Care into Occupational Health Care, and the Current Issues of Occupational Health Care in Hungary

György Ungváry

Corresponding author: György Ungváry M.D., Ph.D., D.Sc
    1097 Nagyvárad tér 2
    Budapest, Hungary
    Telephone: +36 1 476 1422
    E-mail: ungvary@omfi.hu

CEJOEM 2007, Vol.13. No.3-4.: 209-225


Key words:
Occupational health care, primary and secondary prevention


Abstract:
The current national occupational health service is structurally suitable for providing service to all employees and is able to meet both quantitative, and qualitative (depending on industry or service) expectations. It is therefore able to efficiently participate in the most important task of employers, establishing health and safety at work, as well as tackling the medical and occupational hygiene tasks of modern primary prevention at the workplace. At the same time, the evolution of the world of work is a reason for the review of the national policy of occupational health. During the development of the new national policy, achievements made, areas needing correction and the new challenges (technologies, stress-free workplaces, aging workers, migrants, promoting utilization of remaining abilities, options for secondary prevention, judging actual risk and fitness for job, etc.) must be taken into consideration, and together, they will provide grounds for a change of paradigm in occupational health.
    In this overview changes in the Hungarian occupational health care during the past fifteen years and the reasons for the break-up of the national factory health service that came about by necessity during the mid-1990s are presented; then the organization process of the occupational health service that took its place is summarised. The achievements made by the new service during the past almost a decade and a half are also shown, and the anomalies in the current operation of the occupational health care are pointed out; and finally, attention is called to the fact that a change of approach in the health care of employees is needed.


Received: 7 July 2008
Accepted: 11 July 2008

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