Dr. Keith Abney

Occupational Health and Wellness Center Introduces New Physician

Houston Healthcare's Occupational Health and Wellness Center is pleased to introduce Keith Abney, MD, MPH, as its new onsite physician. Dr. Abney attended medical school at the University of Arkansas in Little Rock, Arkansas, and received his medical training at Tulsa Medical College in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and at the University of Oklahoma, in Oklahoma City. He is a member of the medical staff of Houston Medical Center.

Board certified in Occupational Medicine, Dr. Abney specializes in work-related injury care with the goal of providing every injured employee with prompt treatment, care and rehabilitation to ensure his or her quick and safe return to work. Under his direction, Houston Healthcare's Occupational Health and Wellness program provides quality occupational medicine from drug screenings to physical therapy to work conditioning-all of which are backed by the full emergency and health resources of Houston Medical Center and Perry Hospital. "Our team of nurses, physical therapists, technicians and case managers are trained in the specialty of occupational medicine," explains Dr. Abney. "We all work together to help employees return to work quickly and safely."

Designed specifically for the workplace and workers' health, the services of Houston Healthcare's Occupational Health and Wellness Center are customizable to fit a company's particular needs whether that is a small business or a large manufacturing facility. "We know the healthcare needs of a business and its employees are not simple," adds Dr. Abney. "We work hard to ensure our occupational medicine program is responsive to our local employers and the health needs of their employees."

According to Dr. Abney, the expertise of a physician specializing in occupational medicine can benefit business owners by helping decrease their OSHA-recordable and lost time injuries. "Not only is our program simple, it is also cost effective," he explains. "A sick or injured employee can cost a business time and money in lost productivity as well as administrative time spent filing workers' comp claims. Our program benefits a company's bottom line by saving time and money while providing better medical services as well as better case management.'

Dr. Abney adds that employers can expect staff of Houston Healthcare's Occupational Health and Wellness Center to keep them informed about the health status of their injured employee, the earliest return-to-work date for that employee, and all necessary work restrictions to ensure the continued safety of their employee. "With our program, a company deals with only one contact and one source through every step of an employee's care," he says. "Case managers serve as liaisons between business owners and the employee, the health provider, the government and the insurance company."

Houston Healthcare's Occupational Health and Wellness Center also offers flexibility by providing an on-site nurse, off-site drug testing, health screenings, wellness counseling or any other special arrangements that a company requires to meet the health needs of its employees. Located on Highway 127 in Kathleen, it is easily accessible and convenient to employers throughout Houston County and surrounding communities.

For more information on the services available through Houston Healthcare's Occupational Health and Wellness Center, call (478) 988-1853.