The role of the occupational physician in the enlarged European Union: challenges and opportunities

The OP can be cast in different role models, according tothe organization and its needs. However, I think that theOP in the next 10–15 years will share aptitudes and skillsthat WHO considers an obligation for future doctors[11]. Accordingly, the OP should be able to act as (i) acare provider and an expert, the OP should consider theworker as an individual and develop, if needed, a doctor–patient relationship based on respect and trust; (ii) a decisionmaker, the OP should be able to choose effectivepractices, including predictive tests, and valid interventionson the individual and in the workplace community;(iii) a communicator and a counsellor, the OP shouldhave the skill to properly inform the workers takinginto account their cultural and socio-economical context,in order to empower individuals and groups topromote healthy lifestyle and protect them from occupationaland non-occupational hazards; (iv) a leader and anadvisor, the OP should gain the respect and the trust ofworkers and other stakeholders to reconcile health requirementand production needs, and (v) amanager, confrontedwith the task of integrating his/her medical rolewithin a managerial context, the OP should acquire managerialskills to be able to make better decisions and towork within a multidisciplinary team in close associationwith other partners for health and social development.The professional practice of the future will be strictlyrelated to the concept of quality of care [12], which is thedegree to which the practices of OPs for individual workersand workers’ groups increase the likelihood of desiredhealth outcomes and are consistent with current professionalknowledge. The ‘desired outcomes’ highlight thebenefits accruing to a healthy enterprise with a healthyand committed workforce (high productivity, low sicknessabsence, low insurance costs) and social benefits includingincreased equity in health (redeployment ofdisabled workers, reduction of premature retirement,maintenance of a suitable work ability and of a healthylife into old age). The ‘current professional knowledge’emphasizes that OPs must stay abreast of the rapidlychanging and expanding base of knowledge, incorporateit in their expertise and use it in their practice. This willbe particularly challenging not only for the need tocontinuously update their expertise but also to appropriatelyhandle an increasing variety of health problemsarising from the changing working world.