One half of U.S. employers offer onsite general clinics at their workplace. With increased pressure for employers to provide better health and well-being benefits to their employees, onsite healthcare has proved to be a great equalizer.
Bringing healthcare directly to employees at their place of work has broken down barriers that typically make it difficult for individuals to be seen for health concerns. By bringing healthcare to the worksite directly, it gives all employees of various socio-economic status access to a provider, takes away the cost of a copay and additional fees, and provides an opportunity for health education.
Why is onsite healthcare the great equalizer for employers?
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Equal Access to Healthcare
With onsite healthcare, every employee now has the access and ability to improve their health. Nationwide, individuals with lower socioeconomic status typically do not have access to the resources and systems to improve their comprehensive health. Bringing a provider to the workplace, to see all employees for free, gives each individual the ability to be seen for health concerns at their disposal, time, and dollar.
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Cuts Down on Transportation and Lost Time
One of the biggest inhibitors for equal access to healthcare is the transportation to see a provider. Americans spend an average of 34 minutes on the road to a doctor’s office, 11 minutes waiting to be seen, and then have to commute back to work. Not to mention, many individuals don’t have access to consistent vehicles, often relying on public transportation to take them as close to their primary care provider as possible.
When an employer brings healthcare to the workplace, they make prioritizing one’s health and well-being accessible and convenient. An employee simply has to walk down the hall to see a provider, and appointments typically last no more than 20 minutes.
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Less Expensive Healthcare
Onsite healthcare saves money in two ways: organizationally and individually. On the organizational level, an employer will be spending less on healthcare costs as their employees become healthier. Many employers don’t realize the cost of each occurrence of acute or chronic diseases. Not only does it affect the employee’s health, but also their company’s productivity. For reference, an average employee costs about $1,685 per year in annual productivity losses linked to missed work for health-related issues. An employer loses $341 per day, each time an employee calls in sick.
Individually, employees are saving money on copays, transportation costs, PTO or sick days, lab draws and on their insurance premiums. Not only is the provider free of charge to all employees who enroll in their onsite program, but they can also receive discounted insurance packages as incentives for participating year-round. This makes the overall healthcare experience more affordable.
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Health education
Putting a provider onsite, at the workplace, can improve more than just physical health and well-being. Providers are there to help treat acute and chronic illnesses, but can also educate on general health tips. A healthier employee starts with understanding what they can be doing and what they should avoid to improve their health. A consistent onsite presence from a medical professional informs and provides health education regarding nutrition, common illnesses, medications and more. As the go-to individual for all health-related concerns, the provider forms a relationship with the employee’s at an organization, making it more comfortable and familiar to set up appointments.
The healthcare industry is one of the most divisive in terms of cost, convenience, and quality of care. Bringing an onsite presence to the workforce in the form of a clinic or full-time provider, equalizes the playing field and gives all individuals at an organization the care they deserve.
