One Health – an online tool for managing health surveillance programs

At BHP, health surveillance monitors the health of workers who may be exposed to certain workplace hazards. Through appropriate and required medical testing, health surveillance supports the identification of any changes in health that may be associated with occupational exposure. These programs also support the fitting and appropriate use of personal protective equipment, where applicable. 

In 2024, the Health team at Escondida identified an opportunity to improve the efficiency, coordination and timely completion of routine health monitoring activities undertaken for workers as part of existing respirable crystalline silica and noise exposure surveillance programs.  

Following analysis and consultation with key health providers and employees, the One Health initiative was launched.

One Health is an online platform designed to improve the efficiency and co-ordination of routine health monitoring activities. The platform consolidates relevant worker information, enabling authorised health personnel at participating Escondida clinics to access information necessary to support scheduled assessments. When workers attend a participating health facility, the platform notifies health personnel when scheduled health checks are due, facilitating the timely completion of assessments already required under the relevant health surveillance programs during the same visit where appropriate. All information is managed in accordance with applicable privacy and data protection requirements. This approach supports timely completion of required assessments and reduces the need for additional appointments.  

Since the platform’s launch in March 2024, participation rates and timely completion of health surveillance assessments have exceeded the target of 90 per cent, demonstrating improved efficiency in the administration of existing surveillance programs. Compared to the previous quarter, the number of chest x-rays conducted (classified using the International Labour Organization system for detecting early signs of pneumoconiosis) and audiometric tests increased.   

Integrating routine health monitoring into existing clinic visits has also delivered efficiency benefits for workers and health providers. While individual visits may be slightly longer, this approach reduces the overall time required for separate appointments, resulting in an estimated reduction of up to two hours in annual attendance time per worker while still ensuring required monitoring happens on time. 

This is an example of how BHP is using digital solutions to improve efficiency of appointment scheduling and booking.