The experience in organizing medical care for employees of remote industrial facilities

Medical care for employees of remote industrial facilities (RIFs) poses unique challenges due to the remote locations and need for unconventional organizational solutions. Objective. To summarize the experience of organizing medical care for employees of oil and gas remote industrial facilities located in the Russian Federation on the Taimyr Peninsula. Materials and methods. This study was conducted at a RIF with an average of 11.547 shift workers per year. Medical care is provided by the health center team, consisting of a paramedic, a nurse, and a driver. Based on long-term observations, the experience of organizing medical care at the RIFs, with a focus on the necessary infrastructure, equipment, and personnel training, is presented. Results. Diseases of the respiratory system (43.42%), musculoskeletal system and connective tissue (16.67%), and diseases of the circulatory system (10.96%) are the most common causes of primary visits to the RIF health center. In 14.83% of cases, employees must be evacuated from the RIF due to the need for specialized medical care. Medical arrangements at the RIF have specific features that should be considered when organizing medical care. These include the inventory and logistics management of health centers, considering the high proportion of emergency and urgent medical care, the need to create a decision support system and external support of the health center, ensuring round-the-clock readiness for medical evacuation, and the formation of a health center medical team, based on a wide range of functions performed. Conclusion. The optimal solution for organizing medical care for shift workers is the establishment of a medical unit on the industrial site, providing therapeutic, diagnostic, preventive, organizational, and analytical services. Given the limitations of such publications, the presented case may be useful to managers responsible for organizing medical care at remote industrial facilities.