Hiring the Right Workers

Note Regarding the ADA

The ADA sets out that an employer may condition a job offer on the satisfactory result of a post-offer medical examination or medical inquiry if this is required of all entering employees in the same job category.

If an individual is not hired because a post-offer medical examination or inquiry reveals a disability, the reason(s) for not hiring must be job-related and consistent with business necessity. The employer also must show that no reasonable accommodation was available that would enable the individual to perform the essential job functions, or that accommodation would impose an undue hardship.

A post-offer medical exam may not disqualify an individual with a disability who is currently able to perform essential job functions because of speculation that the disability may cause a risk of future injury. However, a post-offer medical exam may disqualify an individual if the employer can demonstrate that the individual would pose a “direct threat” in the workplace (i.e., a significant risk of substantial harm to the health or safety of the individual or others) that cannot be eliminated or reduced below the “direct threat” level through reasonable accommodation. Such a disqualification is job-related and consistent with business necessity.

Meet Our Staff

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Connie Bergman-Palmer

RN, LNCC

Connie graduated from Blessing Hospital School of Nursing in 1973. She practiced hospital medical-surgical nursing, neonatal intensive care, pharmacy, allergy, and otorhinolaryngology. From 1986 until 1996, Connie worked as an LNC at a law firm. In 1996, Connie started her own LNC business and was among the charter group to achieve Legal Nurse Consultant Certification in 1998. In 2002, Connie went to work as a state regulator of long term care and assisted living facilities and was a CMS federally certified Nursing Services Surveyor and Investigator. Connie has over 20 years of clinical experience and over 30 years as an LNC. Connie enjoys flower gardening, singing with the Omaha Symphonic Chorus and traveling to Illinois and California to visit her family and grandchildren.

Thomas E. Dunbar

MD

Dr. Dunbar received his Medical Degree at the University of Nebraska Medical Center followed by the completion of a Rotating Surgical Internship. For 17 years Dr. Dunbar was the Director of the Archbishop Bergan Mercy Emergency Department and was the Associate Director for 11 years prior. Dr. Dunbar has over 35 years of injury care experience and started the Bergan Occupational Health Program in 1986. Dr. Dunbar is a Board Certified lifetime member of the American Academy of Occupational Medicine, Board Certified by the American Board of Emergency Medicine, distinguished as a Fellow by the American College of Emergency Medicine and as Diplomat by the American Board of Emergency Medicine. Dr. Dunbar has provided physician services to under-served rural health clinics and has taught students from both UNMC and Creighton medical colleges. In his free time, Dr. Dunbar enjoys golfing, bike riding and spending time with his new granddaughter.

Joseph F. Martinak

MD

Dr. Martinak is originally from New York where he attended Rutgers University for his Pre-Med degree and received his Doctorate of Medicine from New York State University. His distinguished career has included over 25 years in Family Practice and Emergency Medicine before joining the staff at Alegent Occupational Health Services. Dr. Martinak has worked in Occupational Medicine for the last 10 years. He is a member in the American Medical Association, is Board Certified and a Fellow in the American Academy of Family Physicians, Charter Member in the American College of Emergency Medicine and a Research Fellow at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire. Dr. Martinak is on the teaching staff at UNMC and is an affiliate on the staff at Immanuel, Midlands and Bergan Mercy. He has authored five articles in nationally recognized medical journals. Dr. Martinak brings vast occupational medicine experience as well as family and emergency medical expertise to a like-minded clinic.

Walter S. Wood

MD

Dr. Wood earned his Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of California at Los Angeles. From there, he went on to pursue his Doctorate of Medicine from St. George’s University School of Medicine in the West Indies, while completing his clinical rotations in the United States. Dr. Wood completed a Family Medicine Residency as well as a Rural Fellowship through the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Since then, he has served as a Physician at Nebraska Medicine in Bellevue, Jenny Edmundson Hospital and Mercy Hospital in Council Bluffs, and Memorial Community Hospital in Blair. He is a member of the American Medical Association, American Association of Family Physicians, and the Christian Medical and Dental Association. Dr. Wood is Board Certified in Emergency and Family Medicine and brings over 20 years of experience to the clinic.In his free time, Dr. Wood enjoys bicycling on local trails in Nebraska and loves to attend his three sons’ soccer games.

Gabriela Vogel

DPT, Director of Physical Therapy

Gabriela Vogel completed her Doctor of Physical Therapy Degree from Creighton University in 2010. Prior to earning her doctorate, she graduated from Dordt College with a Bachelor of Exercise Science Degree with a Minor in Psychology. In 2010, she was honored with the Multicultural and Community Affairs Award and the Physical Therapy Leadership Guild Award. Gabriela’s experience as a physical therapist includes Hallmark Rehabilitation, One World Community Center, Excel and WorkFit. She is fluent in Spanish.

Linda Celedón-Leal

CNA/MA

Linda earned her Certified Nursing Assistant license through Omaha OIC and her Medical Assistant license through the State of Nebraska. She has spent most of her career working with physicians and physicians’ assistants and alongside nurses and medical assistants providing nursing support. She has given assistance to the physician and physician assistant in minor surgical procedures. Linda is certified in the administration of injectable medications, vaccinations, first aid, Phlebotomy, Breath Alcohol Testing (BAT), Hair Specimen Collection, BLS and CPR and has performed CLIA Waived lab tests. She brings to WorkFit excellent skills in patient-care and charting gained through her many years of experience as a CNA. Linda has worked with patients in diverse healthcare settings and is bilingual in Spanish. When Linda is not working she enjoys spending time with her family and providing community services with her volunteer work through her church.

Patricia A. Kreikemeier

RN, LNCC

Patti received her nursing degree from the College of Saint Mary in Omaha, Nebraska in 1976. She has nursing clinical experience in hospital medical-surgical, pediatric nursing, family practice, and health information resource and triage. Patti has over 20 years’ experience as a legal nurse consultant. She entered the field of legal nurse consulting in 1996 while employed for a law firm specializing in personal injury and medical malpractice. In 2004, Patti began her career at Workfit as a legal nurse consultant in the practice of Independent Medical Examination and has been certified by the American Legal Nurse Consultant Certification Board since 2004. She enjoys traveling to the cities of Washington D.C., Chicago and Lawrence to visit her children and grandchildren. Patti’s extra time is occupied with fitness instruction and gym ownership.