About
Our History
Midwest Occupational Medicine was founded in 1992 by George Dirkers, M.D., in Wood River, Illinois, after recognizing the need for quality medical care for local businesses and industries, originally serving the local refineries, power industries, and manufacturers. Midwest operated for five years out of a small office previously occupied by a marine supply company before expanding into their own building, which broke ground in 1997.
With the launch in 1992 of Midwest’s medical branch, Midwest Occupational Safety was also formed to supply local contractors with assistance in OSHA safety compliance and to supply needed safety personnel for industrial and construction jobs. Midwest’s medical branch and Midwest’s safety branch merged in 1996 into Midwest Occupational Medicine, LTD.
Midwest Occupational Medicine steadily grew to serve surrounding steel and chemical plants, trucking firms, schools and municipalities, hospitals, nursing homes, and an ever-widening list of manufacturers. The injury management business continued to expand. In addition to full OSHA compliance exams, respirator and fit testing, Midwest Occupational Medicine added services such as DOT exams, full service drug testing, on-site evaluations, and much more.
Midwest continued to expand with temporary and permanent on-site staffing, including physician, nursing, EMT, and clerical staffing for industrial clients, supplying staffing for heavy manufacturing, chemical plants, food manufacturers, and others.
Midwest Occupational Medicine began 24-hour physician on-call injury management when approached by clients with the need to deliver responsive, effective ways to maintain physician-to-physician contact on more serious injuries that required employees to be evaluated at outside facilities. This on-call service continues to grow as Midwest now services clients throughout the United States and abroad.
Midwest Occupational Medicine continues to grow, most proudly by word of mouth from one client to another.
Our Team
George Dirkers
MD
Bachelor’s in Chemical Engineering / Washington University St. Louis
Doctor of Medicine / Saint Louis University
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Dr. Dirkers received his Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from Washington University in St Louis, then worked in Missouri and California for Consolidated Aluminum, and in St Louis for Ralston Purina. Prior to his professional degrees, Dr. Dirkers also worked as an apprentice electrician in IBEW Local 1 in St Louis.
He then received his MD degree from Saint Louis University, followed by a Residency in Internal Medicine at the University of Illinois in Chicago. He is Board Certified in Internal Medicine.
He was in private practice of Internal Medicine in Alton, Illinois, where he also began seeing occupational patients at the local refinery. This prompted a switch to full-time Occupational Medicine, and ultimately to founding Midwest Occupational Medicine.
Dr. Dirkers has served as medical director for multiple national companies and is a member of the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.
Dr. Dirkers has served on a wide variety of medical and community boards, including being President of the Council for Medical Affairs for the Illinois State Medical Society, has been a member of the board for Wellspring Resources (Centerstone of Alton) Community Mental Health Center, and has been a member of the Arts Committee for the City of Creve Coeur, Missouri. He volunteers weekly for brush and woods cleanup in a local park.
Dr. Dirkers has delivered medical care on international mission trips, including multiple trips to impoverished areas of Honduras and Peru, indigenous areas of Venezuela, and isolated areas in the mountains of Nepal.
In his spare time, Dr. Dirkers likes to play guitar, paint, garden, learn foreign languages, and ride his Harley.
Contact Us
Corporate Office
(618) 251-5202
Billing
We do not accept Credit Card Payments at this time.