Feature breakdown
What to look for in occupational health software
The capabilities we track, grouped into five categories. For each one: what it is, and why it matters when you're comparing vendors.
Clinical & Medical Records
How the system captures encounters, surveillance, exams, and injury cases.
Occupational health records (EHR)
A purpose-built record for occupational health encounters, tied to employer and job rather than only to a patient.
Why it matters
General EHRs rarely model the employer/employee/job relationships occ health runs on. A fit-for-purpose record avoids constant workarounds.
Medical surveillance programs
Track recurring surveillance (hearing, respiratory, heavy metals, asbestos) with due dates and exposure-based cohorts.
Why it matters
Surveillance is recurring and exposure-driven. Manual tracking quietly drifts out of compliance and gets expensive to reconstruct.
Exam & test management
Capture and store audiograms, spirometry, vision, vitals, and physical exam results in structured form.
Why it matters
Structured results enable trending, automatic flags (e.g., OSHA standard threshold shifts), and clean reporting later.
Injury & case management
Manage work-related injuries from intake through return-to-work, including restrictions and follow-up visits.
Why it matters
Good case management shortens time-to-resolution and keeps workers' comp and RTW documentation defensible.
Immunization & titer tracking
Record vaccinations and titers with reminders for boosters and series completion.
Why it matters
Healthcare and high-risk employers must prove immunization status on demand; reminders prevent lapses.
Compliance & Reporting
OSHA, DOT, testing, and the regulatory reporting that audits depend on.
OSHA 300 / 300A / 301 recordkeeping
Maintain OSHA injury & illness logs and generate the 300A summary and electronic ITA submission files.
Why it matters
Recordable determination and the annual 300A are non-negotiable for covered employers; automation reduces errors.
DOT / FMCSA compliance
Manage DOT physicals, CDL medical certificates, and FMCSA National Registry workflows.
Why it matters
DOT programs have strict forms and expirations; missed recerts can sideline drivers and trigger penalties.
Drug & alcohol testing
Order, collect, and track drug & alcohol tests, including random pool management and MRO workflow.
Why it matters
Random selection, chain-of-custody, and MRO steps are audited closely; software keeps the paper trail intact.
Respirator clearance & fit testing
Run respirator medical evaluations and record qualitative/quantitative fit-test results.
Why it matters
OSHA 1910.134 requires clearance before fit testing; linking the two prevents gaps that fail audits.
Regulatory & audit reporting
Produce the cross-program reports auditors, clients, and leadership ask for, on demand.
Why it matters
When an auditor or major client requests proof, reporting speed and accuracy decide how painful the request is.
Operations & Workflow
Scheduling, charting, employer portals, protocols, and getting paid.
Appointment scheduling
Book individual and bulk/event appointments (e.g., a 200-person flu or audiogram day).
Why it matters
Occ health volume is bursty. Event scheduling and check-in flow directly affect throughput and wait times.
Clinic charting & encounter workflow
Front-desk to provider to checkout workflow with protocol-driven documentation.
Why it matters
A workflow that mirrors the clinic floor reduces clicks and keeps providers moving between patients.
Employer / client portal
A secure portal where employers send employees, view results, and download clearances.
Why it matters
Employers expect self-service. A good portal cuts phone calls and becomes a real retention driver.
Protocol & job-based rules
Define exam protocols per job, client, or exposure so the right services are ordered automatically.
Why it matters
Protocols encode 'who needs what.' Automating them prevents missed services and unbillable rework.
Billing & invoicing
Generate employer invoices and/or medical claims, with service-to-charge mapping.
Why it matters
Occ health mixes employer-direct billing and insurance. Flexible billing protects revenue and cash flow.
Platform & Integrations
How well the system connects to the rest of your stack.
HRIS / HCM integration
Sync employee rosters, departments, and status from HR systems.
Why it matters
Roster drift breaks eligibility and surveillance cohorts. Integration keeps the population accurate.
Lab integration (HL7 / LIS)
Send orders to and receive results from reference and on-site labs electronically.
Why it matters
Manual result entry is slow and error-prone; electronic results speed clearance and reduce transcription risk.
Open API & webhooks
Documented APIs and webhooks to build custom integrations and automations.
Why it matters
An open API future-proofs your stack and avoids vendor lock-in when requirements evolve.
Telehealth visits
Conduct and document virtual visits (e.g., injury triage, follow-ups) inside the platform.
Why it matters
Virtual triage expands coverage across sites and shifts without adding physical clinic capacity.
Mobile / employee app
Mobile access for staff and a way for employees to complete forms or view results.
Why it matters
Mobile intake and results reduce front-desk load and improve the employee experience.
Security & Support
Deployment model, security posture, and implementation help.
Cloud-based SaaS
Fully hosted, browser-based delivery with vendor-managed updates.
Why it matters
Cloud delivery removes server maintenance and keeps every site on the same current version.
HIPAA & SOC 2 posture
Documented HIPAA compliance and independent security attestation (e.g., SOC 2).
Why it matters
You're handling PHI. Clear attestations shorten security reviews and reduce breach risk.
Implementation & onboarding
Structured data migration, configuration, and training to get live.
Why it matters
Most occ health software failures are implementation failures. Onboarding support is worth scrutinizing.
Role-based access control
Granular permissions so clinicians, billers, and employer users each see only what they should.
Why it matters
Mixed clinical and employer users make least-privilege access essential for privacy and compliance.
See how vendors stack up
Now that you know what each capability means, compare every vendor at a glance.
Open the comparison grid →