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Potential Employee Medical Screening

When you hire household or driving staff, you might consider having them undergo a medical screening prior to the start of their employment. Because these people will be residing in your home and/or are in constant contact with your family, the potential for disease transmission is quite high.

A prospective employee may have had a medical check-up with a previous employer, but if said employee has lived in rural Indonesia for some time or has been home to visit, it is a good idea to have them screened again.

Tuberculosis and hepatitis should be at the top of the screening list. Tuberculosis is endemic in Indonesia, but easily treatable with a 6-month drug program. The person is no longer infectious within 2–4 weeks after commencing treatment, but it is very important that they complete the full course of treatment to completely eradicate the disease.

Screening tests can be carried out by any competent medical professional, but please be advised that unscrupulous medical staff can be bribed to falsify results for potential employees. Therefore to ensure accurate results, it is recommended that you take your staff to a reputable clinic which offers screening to potential employees of expats. It may cost a bit more, but the confidence of accurate results will be worth it. Indeed, your family's health may depend on it!

Recommended medical tests for prospective employees include:

  • Chest x-rays (for possible tuberculosis)
  • Blood Tests:
    • Hgb
    • WBC
    • Differential
    • Sed Rate
    • SGOT
    • SGPT
    • HbsAg
    • Routine urine
    • Routine stool test

It is also recommended that a prospective driver undergo an eye examination to ensure that his vision is good. A driver with poor eyesight will be reluctant to admit this for fear of losing his job. The provision of eyeglasses is a simple (and relatively cheap) measure to ensure your family’s safety.

Look for a medical clinic willing to give the test results directly to you, not to the potential employee.

If you have any further questions about medical concerns in Indonesia, see the Ask the Experts.

We trust this information will assist you in making correct choices regarding your health and welfare. However, it is not intended to be a substitute for personalized advice from your medical adviser.

Our thanks to International SOS and Colliers International for their generous contribution of this article!

Last updated February 3, 2014