The concept of on-site health care clinics has been around for decades. Larger companies, especially those at manufacturing plants, often had clinics where injured employees could visit a physician who was employed by the company. Generally, the focus was on occupational health.
Today, on-site clinics are evolving, with a broader emphasis on wellness along with the treatment of injuries and illnesses.
“The goal of on-site clinics is to make quality care convenient and accessible to employees,” said David M. Weir, the president of UPMC Work Partners, which is part of the UPMC Insurance Services Division. “Ideally, an on-site clinic should be able to make a significant contribution to the total health of a company’s employees.”
Smart Business spoke with Weir about the changing nature of on-site clinics and their emerging presence in the workplace.
Why are on-site clinics growing in popularity?
The popularity increases as employers see the advantages of having health care services in the workplace, including accessible quality care, improved workplace productivity, increased employee engagement in chronic care and wellness, enhanced benefit coordination, and lower health care costs. The loss of productivity due to employees leaving the worksite is estimated to be seven times the actual medical costs.
Moreover, the concept simply makes sense. Healthy employees are more productive employees. More productive employees drive stronger organizational performance.
What makes on-site clinics so attractive to employers?
Employers are looking for a solution to rising medical costs, as well as ways to improve the health and productivity of their employees. More and more, employers are realizing that their employee’s health affects workplace absences, workers compensation, nonoccupational disabilities and presenteeism.
On-site services can be designed to be a resource for a company’s employee health care needs. According to a national survey in 2009, more than one-fourth of large employers offer an on-site or near-site medical clinic for occupational health services; 11 percent for primary care services. There have also been studies done that show that return on investment has been estimated as ranging from 3-to-1 to 5-to-1 for every dollar invested.
What services should on-site clinics offer to employees?
Among those that should be included in a suite of services are nonoccupational and occupational medical care, employee health, chronic care management, wellness and employee assistance programs. Because of the many aspects of this type of operation, it is critical to have metrics to evaluate the effectiveness of the clinic.
If properly designed, on-site clinics should be viewed as an extension of an employee’s primary care physician’s office, not care in lieu of a primary physician. There should be no fragmenting of an employee’s medical records, if possible.
