Last week, ACOEM announced that The Sappington Lecture will be given by former ACOEM President Ron Loeppke, MD, MPH, FACOEM, at this year's AOHC on Sunday, April 23, during the opening General Session taking place from 6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. 

Dr. Loeppke will speak on "Leveraging the Power of Prevention in the Global Quest for Better Health & Safety." We caught up with him recently to learn more about this topic.

Q: Prevention is certainly important in medicine, but why do you feel it is particularly important for those who practice Occupational and Environmental Medicine? 

A: Yes, prevention is important, and should be advanced by all clinicians. But in our specialty, we are in the unique position to not only provide health care and preventive medicine for individual patients, but also help manage the health of populations by providing primary, secondary and tertiary prevention services through workplace wellness, health and safety programs. We also recognize that chronic disease is rampant in the workforce and that the health of the worker impacts their work just as the work can impact their health-producing an inextricable link between the health of the workforce and the productivity of the workforce. Therefore, with every step toward prevention we take, we are advancing two goals: improving the quality of life for individuals, and at the same time tangibly impacting the economic vitality of nations. This ability to leverage our efforts for wider impact is what, I think, helps make OEM such a rewarding specialty.