Facility created to help workers exposed to occupational and environmental conditions and injuries in the workplace

BUFFALO, NEW YORK – Erie County Medical Center (ECMC) Corporation today celebrated the 10th Anniversary of the opening of its Center for Occupational & Environmental Medicine (COEM).

The Center for Occupational & Environmental Medicine was designed as a regional health facility for Western New York workforce members with 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 unions to help workers exposed to occupational and environmental conditions and injuries in the workplace.

Thomas J. Quatroche Jr., PhD, ECMC President and CEO, said, “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.”

Peter De Jesús Jr., President, Western New York Area Labor Federation, AFL-CIO, said, “On behalf of the Western New York Area Labor Federation, AFL-CIO, 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. 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.”

Congressman Tim Kennedy said, “I join ECMC in celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Center for Occupational & Environmental Medicine. COEM provides world-class care to people in our region recovering from injuries and illnesses sustained on the job, allowing people to get back to their lives. As the only licensed Occupational Therapist in Congress, I am proud to support ECMC and healthcare services in our region that provide these critical services to our community. I thank the leaders at ECMC and COEM for their dedicated work meeting the needs of our workforce in Western New York.”

Congressman Nicholas A. Langworthy said, “Congratulations to the Center for Occupational and Environmental Medicine at ECMC on 10 years of providing medical care and support to our region’s hardworking men and women. Our community can’t thank you enough for ensuring that our workforce stays healthy and safe, so they can provide for their families. I’m proud to be your partner at the federal level to champion Western New York’s workers and ensure you have the resources to keep doing what you do best.”

NYS Assembly Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes said, “I am pleased to see the growth of the Center for Occupational and Environmental Medicine. It is through the collaborative efforts of ECMC and our region’s labor unions that a such a place can exist, providing specialized care to our brothers and sisters in the workforce.”

City of Buffalo Mayor Christopher P. Scanlon said, “For a decade, the Center for Occupational & 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 healthcare 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.”

Beyond direct patient care, COEM was also instrumental in supporting the WNY community by providing over 120,000 COVID vaccination and testing visits to staff, patients, clients, and community members alike. This impact exemplifies the Center’s commitment to service and resilience in times of need.

Initially, Erie County Medical Center was selected as the venue to deliver these services through highly qualified/trained staff with state-of-the-art equipment housed in a modern facility and supported by the hospital-wide range of ancillary services and resources. Operated by a caring and highly trained staff, 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 Center provides: screening examinations; employment and annual exams; certification for required exams such as DOT abatement work, use of personal protective equipment, and respirator use; workers compensation and disability management; expert opinion assessment; and many other OSHA- DOH- and 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 multinational interpreters.

The COEM at ECMC is guided and supported by a broad-based advisory board, led by union leadership and representation from throughout Western New York. The Center’s Advisory Board Members include: Chair, Mark McDonald, United Steelworkers, District 4; Vice Chair, Denise Abbott, Communication Workers of America, Local 1168; Western New York AFL-CIO Area Labor Federation President Peter De Jesús Jr.; and Bill Wilkinson, Civil Service Employees Association Local 815. Other representatives on the Advisory Board are 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; United Way of Greater Buffalo; Western New York Clean Air Coalition; Western New York Coalition on Occupational Health; SUNY at Buffalo; SUNY Buffalo State.

Any worker needing to schedule an appointment or requiring additional information about this service can contact the ECMC’s Center for Occupational & Environmental Medicine by calling 716-898-5858