A university medical center occupational health service: shoes for the cobbler's children.

A university medical teaching center can provide adequate health care for its employees by using the medical manpower and facilities it already possesses. Certain elements are of prime importance in the success of the development of such a service: (1) organization--concise knowledge of objectives, cost, and benefits, with emphasis on employee satisfaction; (2) staff--selection of interested, imaginative medical personnel and use of expanded role nurses as full-time health providers requiring a minimum of direct medical supervision; (3) collaboration--participation by both medical and nursing professions, educators as well as clinicians, in the formulation and direction of the service.