Take Those DOT Physicals Seriously—They Help Save Lives, Too

It can be easy to become complacent about doing driver physicals required by the Department of Transportation. “Rubber stamping” them can have dire consequences for the patient, the employer, and the general public, and even raise your legal risk, however. Occ med and urgent care giant Concentra has been hit with a class action lawsuit in connection with a multiple-fatality bus crash in Maryland last November. The complaint claims that Concentra knew or should have known when they medically cleared a city bus driver (who died in the crash) that he had a history of seizures and at least four prior crashes involving a school bus or personal vehicle. It’s been determined that he lost consciousness due to a seizure while he was driving, precipitating the accident. DOT physicals are the second most frequently provided occ med service provided in the urgent care setting, after urine drug screenings.