The Impact of Athletic Trainers in Industrial Medicine

Advanced Industrial Medicine’s Heidi Bohl had the opportunity recently to share her expertise as an industrial athletic trainer with an international audience. The 5th International Physical Employment Standards (IPES) Conference, held this year at Oklahoma State University, brings together scientists and practitioners well versed in physical employment standards to support safety and performance in demanding tactical and industrial environments.

Her presentation, “A Case Report: Adapting Return-to-Work Testing for Redi Mix Drivers in the Concrete Industry,” represents just one facet of the work she does as an onsite provider of healthcare services to an area concrete and construction company, a sector where physically demanding occupations abound.

Bohl’s job is dedicated to keeping employees healthy, safe and productive. Her role is about empowerment, ensuring workforce fitness and readiness to meet job requirements.

One of Advanced Industrial Medicine’s many onsite Licensed Athletic Trainers (LATs), Bohl excels in providing swift employee care. Advanced Industrial works with nearly 60 industrial companies to deliver the services necessary to keep employees at their best. The idea driving the model is simple yet profound: reduce the time and money lost to a company by reducing employee injury.

“We look at the employees at our companies as industrial athletes,” said Bohl. “Our presence onsite allows them to work safely at their job and enjoy life outside of work.”

Bohl’s skill set includes early intervention services, job testing, injury prevention, ergonomics, and wellness initiatives, to name a few. Programs are customized by the employer; they choose what best fits their needs and objectives.

After three years delivering services to a number of companies, Bohl now dedicates all her onsite hours to a single employer. She’s also available by phone, text and email when not onsite to discuss injuries and determine plans of care.

“We promise opportunities for access to care within 24 hours if we aren’t onsite, which includes access to orthopedic providers we partner with,” said Bohl. “That kind of rapid response is a win-win scenario for employees and the employer.”

Typically, companies utilizing the onsite model will see a reduction in OSHA recordable injuries by at least 50%, along with significant reductions in healthcare costs from both work-related and non-work related injuries.

The ability of the onsite provider to develop a rapport with employees and understanding the company culture are keys to a successful partnership.

“You have to know your employees and know how to interact with them. I provide services at a concrete and construction company. My dad was a general contractor. My uncle does concrete for a living. This is just a natural fit for me.”

The company’s Director of Human Resources agrees.

“Heidi has gained the respect of our team members and does a great job communicating with us whenever she anticipates an issue or something we should keep an eye on. Her knowledge and expertise has helped us many times.”

The world of an industrial athletic trainer is fast-paced and varied, and Bohl embraces the challenge.

“You’re on the floor, moving from area to area, employee to employee, encouraging people to come talk to you if they have questions, then you’ll head back to meet with the employees who made appointments to see you. Afterwards, you’ll be at a safety meeting sharing data and ROI; following that, it’s time to perform a jobsite analysis and then an ergonomic evaluation,” said Bohl. “It’s all about understanding the needs of the business and delivering the services to meet those needs.”