6 Types of Health Screening Tests Required for Employment

When prospective employees look for a job, they focus on the job description, company and skills required. They often can forget that the employer may require health screening tests to determine ability to perform in the position and work environment. Here are some types of medical tests that will impact your employment screening.

Drug Testing from Blood, Urine or Other Specimen

This is the most common type of employment screening. Employers often test for alcohol and drug use, like opiates, benzos and recreational/illegal drugs. As a background screening test, it helps employers determine an individual’s personal responsibility. When requested at random, it is a measure to protect the company from poor performance or customer interactions by employees under the influence of an illegal and unacceptable workplace agent.

If a test comes up positive, it is because there was some presence of the actual chemical or its metabolite in an individual’s blood, urine, hair, or alternative specimen. Alcohol is the hardest to detect if tested after two hours of last consumption. Meanwhile, benzodiazepines can remain in a person’s system for up to three weeks. Employees who are taking prescription drugs should disclose this information to an employer in the event there is a drug testing requirement.

Tuberculosis (TB) Testing

This is a common type of employment health screening seen in the health industry. Other industries that may require this medical test are social work, education, fitness centers, transportation, aviation, and more. Tuberculosis is an airborne bacteria that attacks the immune system, lungs, spine, brain, and kidneys. Infected individuals are broken into two groups – those infected but with inactive bacteria, and those infected with active bacteria that can be spread to others that interact with the individual. If an employee does have an active strain, the company may contact the local state control program to prevent widespread contamination.

Spirometry Test

Lung health is especially important for construction and other milling or production type industries because they involve more airborne irritants than other types of jobs. In fact, pulmonary function testing is a brand new service provided by all our walk-in clinics in the Metro Phoenix area. OSHA requires companies in certain industries to have employees tested for lung health capacity because the job functions can be severe. The health risks in these types of industries can lead to other respiratory-related illnesses like asthma or lung cancer due to exposure to airborne irritants and cancer-causing properties.

Other types of health tests that your employer may require include psychological evaluations, polygraph and physical or cardiac stress tests. We can provide EKG and EEG readings for your employer. We also offer audiology (hearing) screenings. Most physical stress tests are to determine fitness to perform job duties related to first responder or military careers and other highly physical jobs.

Phoenix Family Medical Clinic is a full-service medical facility that offers all types of health screening and diagnostic tests designed to evaluate your health for work, school and life. As a patient of our clinics, many of these tests are included in your preventative care and can help detect trouble before symptoms even manifest.

Come in and talk with our medical providers if you have any questions about health screenings that your prospective or current employer may demand. We can help educate you on the testing procedures, explain the health risks for your prospective job in alignment with your current health condition, and provide you an annual wellness check.

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