Federal Occupational Health
Encyclopedia
Federal Occupational Health (or FOH) is a service unit within the United States Department of Health and Human Services
program's support center and a component of the U.S. Public Health Service
. It helps maintain the health
of 2.9 million U.S. government employees.
The unit was created in 1946 by an amendment to the Public Health Service Act
and provides services exclusively to federal agencies and the Department of Defense
. It is currently the largest provider of clinical, wellness/fitness, Employee Assistance Program (EAP), work/life, and environmental health and safety services to the federal government
.
It has 300 health centers throughout the U.S. and a network of over 700 private
-provider physicians and nurses
through which it provides clinical services, including emergency response, physical exams, immunization
s, vision and health screenings, and health risk appraisals. It also maintains more than 200 counseling offices in federal buildings as well as a network of affiliate counselors in approximately 11,000 locations across the country and overseas.
United States Department of Health and Human Services
The United States Department of Health and Human Services is a Cabinet department of the United States government with the goal of protecting the health of all Americans and providing essential human services. Its motto is "Improving the health, safety, and well-being of America"...
program's support center and a component of the U.S. Public Health Service
United States Public Health Service
The Public Health Service Act of 1944 structured the United States Public Health Service as the primary division of the Department of Health, Education and Welfare , which later became the United States Department of Health and Human Services. The PHS comprises all Agency Divisions of Health and...
. It helps maintain the health
Health
Health is the level of functional or metabolic efficiency of a living being. In humans, it is the general condition of a person's mind, body and spirit, usually meaning to be free from illness, injury or pain...
of 2.9 million U.S. government employees.
The unit was created in 1946 by an amendment to the Public Health Service Act
Public Health Service Act
The Public Health Service Act is a United States federal law enacted in 1944. The full act is captured under Title 42 of the United States Code "The Public Health and Welfare", Chapter 6A "Public Health Service"....
and provides services exclusively to federal agencies and the Department of Defense
United States Department of Defense
The United States Department of Defense is the U.S...
. It is currently the largest provider of clinical, wellness/fitness, Employee Assistance Program (EAP), work/life, and environmental health and safety services to the federal government
Federal government
The federal government is the common government of a federation. The structure of federal governments varies from institution to institution. Based on a broad definition of a basic federal political system, there are two or more levels of government that exist within an established territory and...
.
It has 300 health centers throughout the U.S. and a network of over 700 private
Private healthcare
Private healthcare or private medicine is healthcare and medicine provided by entities other than the government. The term is generally used more in Europe and other countries which have publicly-funded health care, to differentiate the arrangement from the usual system.Ethical issues relating to...
-provider physicians and nurses
Health care provider
A health care provider is an individual or an institution that provides preventive, curative, promotional or rehabilitative health care services in a systematic way to individuals, families or communities....
through which it provides clinical services, including emergency response, physical exams, immunization
Immunization
Immunization, or immunisation, is the process by which an individual's immune system becomes fortified against an agent ....
s, vision and health screenings, and health risk appraisals. It also maintains more than 200 counseling offices in federal buildings as well as a network of affiliate counselors in approximately 11,000 locations across the country and overseas.