NVAB, the Netherlands Society of Occupational Medicine
The Netherlands Society of Occupational Medicine (NVAB) started in 1946 as a separate section of the Association of Public Health and was officially founded in 1953. Nowadays about 90% of the occupational physicians in The Netherlands, i.c. more than 2000, is NVAB-member. One of NVAB’s goals is enhancement of the scientific basis of occupational health practice and improvement of the professional quality of occupational physicians. One of the tools in a quality-improving strategy is the development, implementation and evaluation of evidence-based clinical practice guidelines. Therefore in 1998, the NVAB started a programme for the development and implementation of evidence-based practice guidelines. To professionalize these activities, NVAB set up a Centre of Excellence in 2003.
Centre of Excellence
One of our main tasks is to develop evidence based practice guidelines in occupational health. In addition to this, NVAB is also involved in the development and implementation of multidisciplinary clinical guidelines for the integration of work-related aspects. Another important issue in NVAB’s quality policy is medical audit. Development and organization of medical audits is a key activity of NVAB’s Centre of Excellence.
