Because of a new legal framework (ordinance for the legal simplification and improvement of occupational medical check-ups) occupational medical check-ups are now subject to more stringent legislation. It is therefore necessary to discuss and develop strategies for coping with the increased number of occupational medical examinations. Here we describe the occupational medical examination of employees doing wet work to exemplify the conceivable effects of this development on the numbers of check-ups. In two further examples the use of telemedicine is proposed as a possible way of solving the problem. Advantages and disadvantages of using this method in practical occupational medicine are discussed in detail.
