Occupational Health

Most occupational health visits run 30 to 60 minutes total depending on the panel and bloods required.

Before the visit. Bring the employer's medical questionnaire or job description, your SA ID, and any recent specialist letters or chronic medication list relevant to the role. If your visit is COIDA-related, bring the W.Cl.4 or W.Cl.5 form started by your employer or treating doctor. Wear loose clothing that gives access to the chest and arms for examination.

At the visit. Reception confirms the assessment type and billing route. The doctor reviews the role's requirements, takes a history, and performs the clinical examination. Vitals, vision testing, audiometry screening, and bloods (where required) are completed. Spirometry and ECG (where the role involves dust, fumes, or cardiac risk) are completed in the same visit when scheduled in advance.

After the visit. The doctor completes the employer's medical questionnaire or COIDA forms in the format requested. Reports are issued either at the visit (where bloods are not needed) or once Ampath results return the next working day. Employer-required certificates are signed and delivered to the employer per their preferred channel (email, courier, or patient hand-delivery).

Follow-up. Periodic surveillance visits are scheduled at the interval the role requires (annual, biennial, or as the employer specifies). For COIDA cases, follow-up visits track recovery and submit progress reports to the Compensation Commissioner until the case is closed.

Some occupational health work needs a designated occupational medical practitioner (OMP) or specialised facility. We refer rather than perform in-rooms when:

• Statutory aviation medicals. Class 1, 2, 3, and 4 aviation medical certificates require an aviation medical examiner (AME) accredited by the South African Civil Aviation Authority. We refer to a SACAA-designated AME.
• Commercial diving certifications. Dive medicals require a Department of Employment and Labour designated medical practitioner with hyperbaric medicine training. We refer to a specialist diving medicine practitioner.
• Heavy-machinery and rail medicals with statutory accreditation. Certain underground mining, rail, and crane operator roles require an OMP accredited under specific industry legislation. We refer to a specialist occupational medicine clinic with the relevant accreditation.
• Formal industrial audiometry. OHASA / SANS 10083 calibrated audiometry with documented noise-isolated testing booth goes to a specialist audiometrist or occupational health clinic. Our in-rooms audiometry is screening-grade.
• Certification-grade lung function for high-risk industries. Roles requiring spirometry calibrated to industrial standards with full reference equation documentation (e.g., asbestos surveillance, silicosis screening) go to a specialist occupational medicine clinic.
• X-ray for occupational chest screening. Pre-employment chest X-rays are not done in-rooms; we refer to a radiology centre and incorporate the report into the occupational assessment.

When we refer, we send the role description, any relevant history, and a clear referral question. The specialist result is incorporated into the occupational report we issue back to the employer.

We perform occupational health work for employers and employees across the Garden Route. Common sectors:

• Construction: pre-employment medicals, height-work fitness, periodic surveillance for dust and noise exposure.
• Transport and logistics: code 10 and 14 licence medicals, fatigue management fitness assessments, periodic driver health surveillance (we refer DOT-style heavy-vehicle commercial medicals where statutory accreditation is required).
• Healthcare: pre-employment medicals for nursing and allied health staff, Hepatitis B vaccination and serology, TB screening, sharps-injury management.
• Retail and hospitality: pre-employment medicals, fitness-for-duty for food-handler certification, periodic health surveillance where the role requires it.
• Self-employed contractors: fitness-for-duty letters for tender requirements, equipment licensing, or contract compliance.

Bespoke industry packages are coordinated with the employer's HR or occupational health practitioner. Reception confirms the panel and reporting requirements at booking.

Both doctors perform occupational health assessments at the practice. The doctor you see depends on availability and the role's requirements; reception coordinates the right slot at booking.

Occupational health billing usually goes to the employer, not the employee's medical aid. Three main pathways:

Employer-billed. Pre-employment medicals, fitness-for-duty assessments, periodic surveillance, and pre-employment drug screening are typically invoiced directly to the employer where the employer has set up an occupational health account with the practice. Employer accounts settle monthly.

COIDA-billed. Workplace injury and occupational disease care is billed to the Compensation Commissioner under the COIDA tariff where the employer is correctly registered. The employee pays nothing for COIDA-eligible care. Reception confirms COIDA registration with the employer at booking.

Self-funded. Self-employed contractors and employees whose employers do not have occupational accounts pay directly. Reception quotes the visit cost in advance. Card and EFT are accepted; cash also accepted.

Where the visit overlaps with primary care (e.g., an occupational visit identifies a chronic disease that needs GP-level review), the primary-care portion may be claimable from your scheme. Reception advises on the billing split where this applies. See also our preventive care service for the medical-aid-funded annual screening benefit.