WNYLaborToday.com Editor’s Note: The 10th anniversary of the Center For Occupational & Environmental Medicine (COEM) was recently celebrated by a bevy of Labor Leaders, Hospital Representatives and Elected Officials during an event held at the Erie County Medical Center (ECMC) in Buffalo, where it is housed.  The COEM plays an important role in Western New York when it comes to helping Workers - Union and non-alike - who are exposed to hazardous work conditions and sustain injuries while on the job.  (Photos Courtesy of ECMC)

(BUFFALO, NEW YORK) – Ten years ago, the Erie County Medical Center (ECMC) collaborated with the Western New York Labor Movement to create and open the Center for Occupational & Environmental Medicine (COEM).  Now, area Labor Leaders and Buffalo Hospital Representatives are praising the COEM, which has served more than 36,000 patients over the past decade who are dealing with a variety of environmental and occupational conditions and injuries that they’ve suffered in the workplace.

Mark McDonald (pictured below, standing on the left) of United Steelworkers (USW) District 4, who serves as Chair of the COEM Advisory Board, and Denise Abbott of Communication Workers of America (CWA) Local 1168, who serves as its Vice Chair - as well as Western New York AFL-CIO Area Labor Federation (WNYALF) President Peter DeJesús, Jr., all told WNYLaborToday.com how proud Labor is of the center, how far it has come and what it means to all Western New York’s Workers - both Union and non.

“I ‘could not be prouder of that clinic,’” McDonald said. “For what they went through with all the ‘growing pains’ during our collaboration with ECMC, ‘then through COVID and how they all stepped up being on the front lines, going out and administering vaccines, then taking on the Opioid crisis and offering Narcan training – all at the same time of exposing themselves, I can’t say enough about them.’  And having a collaborative partner like ECMC ‘has been more than helpful as the COEM can instantly send a patient right into the hospital’ (for further treatment, if needed.”

“It is an ‘incredible’ center ‘and I believe its longevity is a testament to the people who work there, from its Director to its Staff,’” said Abbott, who serves as President of the Buffalo AFL-CIO Central Labor Council, serves as Health and Safety Officer for her CWA Local (1168) and works at DeGraff Hospital in North Tonawanda.  “They do ‘incredible’ work, ‘they work very hard.  ‘It is wonderful to see how many Unions and the community at large are taking advantage of what they offer.’  ‘We want to see it keep going and continue building, adding additional services and technology over the next ten years.’  ‘They are fulfilling the needs of Workers not just here in Buffalo and Erie County, but across all of Western New York.’”

WNYALF President DeJesús (pictured below) said: “We are ‘proud to celebrate’ a decade of partnership with ECMC through the COEM.  This collaboration ‘reflects our unwavering commitment to the health, safety and dignity of every Worker in our region.’  (COEM is) ‘literally changing people’s lives’ as they continue to expand.  ‘And kudos to ECMC for seeing the value in this.’  Over the course of time (the COEM’s) ‘expanded past’ occupational medicine ‘and have been reaching out to our rural communities.’  ‘They are building a network across the county.’   Over the past ten years, COEM ‘has been a lifeline for thousands of Workers and their families, reinforcing the core values of solidarity and care that strengthen our community.’  ‘Together, we will continue to protect and uplift those who drive the success and resilience of Western New York.’”

ECMC President and CEO Thomas Quatroche, Jr., echoed the Labor Leaders’ observations: “We are very proud of the success of the COEM - thanks to the hard work and commitment of our dedicated Caregivers and our Labor partners.  Since we started in 2014 with just (15) patients, the COEM has grown tremendously, now having served over (36,000) patients over the past decade.  This growth reflects our commitment to the health and wellness of our community and the benefit of having such a center available to Workers across Western New York.”

The COEM was designed as a Regional Health Facility to address Workers’ work-related health needs and to prevent work-related illnesses and injuries through increased awareness and health education, early diagnosis and treatment. 

The COEM was created at ECMC in close collaboration with Western New York’s Labor Movement to help those Workers exposed to occupational and environmental conditions and injuries in the workplace.

Beyond direct patient care, COEM was also instrumental in supporting the Western New York Community by providing more than 120,000 COVID vaccination and testing visits to Staff, patients, clients and community members alike.

This impact exemplifies the COEM’s commitment to service and resilience in times of need, those who spoke at the celebratory event said.

Initially, ECMC was selected as the venue to deliver these services through highly qualified/trained Staff with state-of-the-art equipment that was housed in a modern facility and supported by the hospital-wide range of ancillary services and resources. 

Today, the COEM is an easily accessible, spacious, modern facility located on the ECMC Health Campus on the ground floor of the Medical Center. 

It includes state-of-the-art diagnostic and testing equipment for breathing, hearing, vision and the cardiovascular system. 

The COEM also provides: Screening examinations; Employment and annual exams; Certification for required exams such as Department of Transportation (DOT) abatement work, use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and respirator use; Workers’ compensation and disability management; Expert opinion assessment; and many other Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA), Department of Health (DOH) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) required exams. 

Education, industrial hygiene and social work services are also available. 

Additionally, the COEM provides: Processing and support for Worker Compensation claims; Focused training and education programs; Industrial hygiene support for exposure assessment; Social and mental health counseling and intervention; and Multiple language capabilities through multi-national interpreters. 

McDonald, meanwhile, took time to praise the Leadership and Staff at the COEM, notably Elaine Laskowski, who’s worked at the clinic since day one and was presented with a plaque of appreciation during the ceremony.

“Elaine ‘is the glue and we could not have gotten here without her,’” McDonald said.  “‘She should be recognized for her leadership’ as we continue to meet new challenges.”

Laskowski told WNYLaborToday.com: “(The 10-year anniversary milestone) is ‘wonderful, fantastic and I am glad we are here to serve the community.’  ‘We are reaching more people who are learning about our services and what our specialties are.’  ‘We do have a lot of Union people who utilize (the center) and that’s been a result of a lot of outreach.’”

The COEM is guided and supported by a broad-based Advisory Board, led by Union Leadership and representation from across Western New York, including McDonald, Abbott, DeJesús and Bill Wilkinson of Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA) Local 815. 

Other Union Representatives on the Advisory Board come from the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 41, Painters District Council 4, Laborers Local 210 and United Auto Workers (UAW) Region 9.

Other organizations represented on the Advisory Board include: Lipsitz-Greene-Scime-Cambria, LLP; the United Way of Greater Buffalo; the Western New York Clean Air Coalition; the Western New York Coalition on Occupational Health (WNYCOSH); the State University of New York (SUNY) at Buffalo; and SUNY Buffalo State College.

Among those Elected Officials who spoke at the celebratory event was Acting City of Buffalo Mayor Christopher Scanlon, who said: "For a decade, the Center for Occupational and Environmental Medicine at ECMC has been a cornerstone of care for the hard-working Men and Women who are the backbone of our community.  This milestone reflects the power of collaboration between Health Care Providers, Labor Unions and community partners to prioritize Worker health and safety.  Congratulations to ECMC and everyone who has contributed to making the COEM an essential resource for the workforce of Western New York."

WNYLaborToday.com Editor’s Note: Any Worker needing to schedule an appointment or requiring additional information about their services can contact the ECMC’s Center for Occupational & Environmental Medicine by calling 716-898-5858.