Employee Health Services Newsletter - June 2026

Workplace Injuries: Is Your Response Plan Ready?

Don’t wait until a workplace injury disrupts your operations to evaluate your response plan. Now is the time to make sure your organization is prepared with the right processes, medical support, and return-to-work strategies to protect your employees and your business. By partnering with CVHS Occupational Health, employers can take proactive steps to improve injury response, streamline claims management, and strengthen workplace safety before an incident occurs.

When a Workplace Injury Happens, Every Minute Matters

In any work environment, being prepared for a workplace injury is essential. A fast, organized response can help reduce injury severity, manage workers’ compensation costs, and support a safe, timely return to work.

At CVHS Occupational Health, we provide more than medical treatment — we offer employer-focused support designed to help you protect your workforce and maintain productivity. When an injury occurs, our team helps employers respond quickly, communicate clearly, and move the case forward efficiently.

What Employers Should Document After a Workplace Injury

Accurate reporting is one of the most important first steps after an on-the-job injury. Key details to collect include:

• Exact date and time of injury
• Location where the injury occurred
• Specific body-part affected
• Cause of the incident
• Current symptoms
• Names of any witnesses

Having this information ready helps support prompt treatment, efficient communication, and a smoother workers’ compensation process.

Occupational Health Services Designed for Employers

CVHS Occupational Health provides prompt care for a wide range of non-emergency workplace injuries, including:

• Sprains and strains
• Abrasions and lacerations
• Chemical exposures
• Body fluid exposures

We also offer services that help employers manage incidents more effectively, including:

• On-site x-ray with quick turnaround on results
• Post-accident drug and alcohol testing
• Follow-up care until the employee can safely return to full duty

For complex or life-threatening injuries, employees are directed to CVMC’s Emergency Department for immediate evaluation and treatment.

Supporting Claims Management and Return to Work

Our team works closely with employers to help simplify claims management and reduce unnecessary delays. Services include:

• Fast reporting and coordination of follow-up care
• Daily workers’ compensation report review from the Emergency Department
• Communication with company representatives regarding case issues
• Collaboration with workers’ compensation claims adjusters to expedite treatment and return to work
• Access to experienced occupational health providers and preferred medical networks

Our priority is to help your employee recover safely and return to work as promptly as medically appropriate.

Prevention Services That Strengthen Workplace Safety

Our Occupational Health team can offer suggestions for your Workplace Safety & Prevention Program.

• Safety audits: Offer onsite or virtual hazard assessments to prevent injuries before they happen or to assess problem areas where injuries have occurred.
• Light-duty programs: We will work closely with your company in determining light duty and return to work restrictions already in place or will help you develop these if needed.

At CVHS Occupational Health, we are committed to helping employers create safer workplaces while providing responsive care when injuries happen. From treatment and testing to safety audits and return-to-work planning, our team is here to support your business every step of the way. For more information about our occupational health services or how we can support your workplace safety efforts, please contact Debbie Lutz at employerhealthservices@catawbavalleymc.org

Preventing Heat-Related Illnesses in the Workplace

As temperatures rise, so do the risks for workers across a wide range of industries. Heat exposure leads to thousands of workplace injuries and dozens of deaths in the U.S. each year, making prevention and preparation essential for both employers and employees. In this article, we highlight key heat illness prevention strategies, OSHA resources, and practical steps workplaces can take to keep teams safe, healthy, and productive this summer.

Workplace heat exposure in the United States causes thousands of injuries and dozens of deaths each year. Heat-related injuries can occur across nearly all sectors of indoor and outdoor jobs, and the risk can rise when the daily heat index exceeds just 90°F.

Heat-related illnesses can have a substantial cost to workers and employers- contributing to decreased performance, lost productivity due to illness or hospitalization and even possibly death. In addition, personal risk factors such as medical conditions, lack of physical fitness, alcohol consumption, and use of certain medications can increase and individual’s personal risk.

As the summer season approaches, agencies like OSHA highlight the importance of preparation of workers. OSHA’s Heat Illness Prevention campaign offers educational resources for employers and workers to reduce heat-related risks and implement safety protocols in workplaces exposed to high temperatures.

Some key prevention measures include:

• Providing adequate water and encouraging frequent hydration
• Ensuring shade/cooling areas are available to employees
• Allowing rest breaks in an event to prevent overheating
• Training employees and supervisors to recognize the signs of heat illnesses and how to respond appropriately
• Developing a written heat illness prevention plan

For more information about how Catawba Valley Health System’s Community Health Outreach department can assist you with educating employees about proper hydration and recognition of signs of heat illness, contact Meghan Harmon at employerhealthservices@catawbavalleymc.org.

Dry Needling and Physical Therapy for Headache Relief

Headache-related conditions can have a meaningful impact on the workplace, contributing to reduced productivity, missed work time, and challenges with employee well-being. Identifying effective, conservative support options is an important part of building a healthier workforce. Physical therapy interventions, including dry needling, manual therapy, therapeutic exercise, and ergonomic guidance, may help address musculoskeletal factors linked to migraines, tension-type headaches, and cervicogenic headaches while supporting comfort, function, and symptom management.

Headache disorders affect a significant portion of the population, with migraines alone impacting an estimated 14–15% of people. For employers, headache-related symptoms can contribute to decreased productivity, missed workdays, and reduced quality of life for employees. As organizations look for supportive, non-pharmacological health solutions, physical therapy can play an important role in headache management.

For individuals experiencing migraines, tension-type headaches, or cervicogenic headaches, physical therapy offers targeted treatment approaches that address underlying musculoskeletal contributors. Techniques such as manual therapy, dry needling, and therapeutic exercise can help reduce pain, improve mobility, and support long-term symptom management.

Dry needling, performed by a licensed physical therapist, is one treatment option that may help relieve headache symptoms associated with muscle tension and trigger points. When combined with other physical therapy interventions, dry needling can help:

• Reduce muscle tightness in the neck and shoulders
• Improve cervical mobility
• Address trigger points contributing to referred pain
• Support better posture and movement patterns
• Complement a broader headache management plan

Manual therapy techniques such as joint mobilization, soft tissue manipulation, and trigger point release may also be used to target cervical dysfunction, myofascial restrictions, and postural issues commonly associated with certain headache disorders. In addition, therapeutic exercise and ergonomic guidance can provide ongoing support and help reduce symptom recurrence.

For employers, offering access to these types of services can be a valuable way to support employee well-being with conservative, evidence-informed treatment options. Physical therapy for headache management may serve as an effective adjunct or alternative within a comprehensive care plan, particularly for employees whose symptoms are influenced by workplace posture, repetitive strain, or neck and shoulder tension.

To learn more about dry needling and physical therapy services for headache management, contact Jennifer O’Neill at employerhealthservices@catawbavalleymc.org