Objective To analyze a case of violations by an occupational medical examination (OME) institution and to explore the key control points for the supervision and management of OME institutions, as well as the core role of quality assessment in this context. Methods An OME institution suspected of illegal activities was used as the study subject. Retrospective analysis was conducted. Clues of suspected violations were identified by an on-site quality assessment. After investigation and verification by the local health authorities, legal action was taken against the institution for its violations. Results During an on-site quality assessment, the Guangdong Province OME quality control expert group discovered that the OME institution violated regulations, including unqualified personnel file, exceeding the scope of services category, issuing false reports, failing to report suspected occupational diseases on time, and failing to notify workers about suspected occupational diseases as required. The evidence was then submitted to the Guangdong Province OME Quality Control Center, which subsequently forwarded the case to local health administration department for filing and investigation. After the investigation, penalties were imposed on the OME institution for its illegal activities. Conclusion The key supervision and inspection points in the quality assessment of OME institutions include personnel file configuration, the quality control management system and its implementation, the quality of OME reports, and information reporting. Quality assessment plays a pivotal role in ensuring the legal and compliant practice of OME institutions, safeguarding the health rights and interests of workers, and enhancing the overall standard of the OME industry.

Objective To understand the instrument distribution and capacities of inter-laboratory comparisons among occupational medical examination (OME) institutions in Guangdong Province. Methods A total of 291 OME institutions in Guangdong Province that were within the validity period of filing in June 2024 and 101 OME institutions that participated in inter-laboratory comparisons in 2023 were selected as the study subjects. Their filing categories, instrument distribution and external quality assessment in laboratories were collected and analyzed. Results The location of 291 OME institutions distributed in 21 prefectural-level cities in the province, mainly in the Pearl River Delta (PRD) region, accounting for 68.4% of the total. The public hospitals, private medical institutions, the center for disease control and prevention and occupational disease prevention and treatment institutions (hereinafter referred to as "occupational prevention institutions") accounted for 61.2%, 28.5% and 10.3%, respectively. The filing rates for physical factors, chemical factors, and dust categories among OME institutions were 91.1%, 86.9%, and 86.6%, respectively. The average number of institutional instruments, from high to low, was 53.8, 38.8 and 38.2 per unit in occupational prevention institutions, private medical institutions and public hospitals, respectively. The passing rates of inter-laboratory comparisons among OME institutions of external quality assessment in laboratories among OME institutes in Guangdong Province, from high to low were occupational prevention institutions, public hospitals and private medical institutions (96.2% vs 86.8% vs 73.0%, P<0.05). Conclusion The regional distribution of OME institutes in Guangdong Province is unbalanced, mainly concentrated in the PRD region. Low overall level of OME capacity is found in public hospitals and private medical institutions. Leading by the occupational prevention institutions, public hospitals and private medical institutions should strengthen the development and investment in OME hardware, in order to improve the OME level.