Employer Healthcare Strategies

If you think the health of your employees has no impact on your productivity or bottom line, think again. One out of every four dollars employers pay for health care is tied to unhealthy lifestyle choices such as smoking, stress, and obesity. Despite spending almost twice as much on health care, the U.S. has the worst health outcomes than most other developed nations. The result is higher medical costs for the U.S. and for employers. So, what gives and how can employers influence behavior for the better?

Think you're too small to benefit from an employer-sponsored clinic? Think again. A new model is emerging, empowering small and mid-sized businesses to reap the benefits of direct primary care.

You already know the benefits of employer-sponsored clinics, but what if an on-site option isn’t the best fit?

See how a near-site or multi-employer clinic might be the best decision you’ve ever made for your employees and bottom-line.

While private companies & public entities have long understood the benefits of employer-sponsored clinics, a new shared clinic model between these two sectors is emerging and changing communities for the better.

Employer-sponsored clinics have a long and proven history of reducing healthcare costs by improving employee health. Historically, large employers such as manufacturers would bring high quality care directly to the workplace. Today, employers continue to utilize this strategy to proactively manage cost, reduce absenteeism, and improve productivity. Although employer-sponsored clinics began in the private sector, their influence hasn’t stopped there. Public entities, including municipalities, have begun implementing clinics to directly control the cost of care.

Uncover the one wellness strategy that top companies use to attract top talent, bolster the bottom-line, and leave competition in the dust.

What comes to mind when you think of an on-site clinic? For many, a venture that only the biggest names in business can afford. Imagine a place dedicated to treating employees and their families with no out-of-pocket expenses for primary healthcare and generic prescriptions – all while saving you money and improving productivity.

Sound too good to be true? It’s not. Here are the top 3 reasons why your competition is investing in on-site clinics – and why you should too.

It's no secret that on-site medical clinics are a popular solution for employers, both public and private, who are seeking a solution for rising healthcare costs and declining employee health. 

The beauty of the on-site clinic model is that employers are able to offer a best-in-class benefit to employees that in turn benefits them by improving employee health and productivity, reducing healthcare costs, and improving recruiting and retention. Sounds like a win-win-win, right?

From the Walt Disney Co. and American Express to Toyota and General Mills, large companies have long been reaping the benefits of employee health clinics. And now, the public sector is understanding the value of bringing the doctor to work like never before. 

As municipalities try to address the cost of care and better manage taxpayer money, officials are finding on-site clinics as a proven solution to reducing the cost without compromising care. 

Many cities and school districts, for example, have opened clinics that provide everything from checkups and flu shots to comprehensive chronic disease management. Even select medications, primarily generic, are free to employees who visit the clinic rather than the primary care physician paid through traditional coverage. The result? Fewer long-term health problems and reduced costs for the employer and employee. 

Researcher and management guru Jim Collins is well-known for his authored works Good to Great and Built to Last. In this latter book, a thought-provoking point is made:

“Indeed, if there is any one 'secret' to an enduring great company, it is the ability to manage continuity and change — a discipline that must be consciously practiced, even by the most visionary of companies.”

Managing continuity and change can be challenging – especially in the realm of healthcare, and especially if you’re a small- to medium-size business (SMB). 

Small and medium-size businesses place high importance overall on workforce health. In fact, nearly 93% say the health of their employees is important to their business's bottom line. Unfortunately, nearly 60% of these employers say that there is not enough information available to small businesses about implementing wellness programs – and there isn’t any wonder why.

On-site health centers are becoming increasingly popular among employers looking for innovative solutions to combat rising healthcare costs.

In fact, based on the 2015 Employer-Sponsored Health Care Center survey by Towers Watson, 64% of employers have or are considering sponsoring a medical clinic in the near future.

Are you serious about getting started with an employee medical clinic? If so, you or your Broker may prefer to utilize a formal RFP process.

A Request for Proposal (RFP) is a tool that helps organizations clearly communicate what they are looking for from an ideal on-site medical clinic vendor.

Successfully selecting a vendor requires a clear understanding of your goals, expected outcomes, deliverables, responsibilities, and schedules.

The result of putting time and effort into a well-crafted RFP? Attraction of quality vendors who will put their best foot forward to win your business.

Before you go off and make your RFP P-U-B-L-I-C, there are a few things you need to know, and some pointers to help you attract quality vendors.