Workplace Health Clinics Enhance Employee Benefits, Cost Savings

Crockett Dale

As president of a textile company in Hickory, NC, Crockett Dale saw firsthand how working with a provider of onsite employee health clinics improved both the bottom line and employee morale. Now that he’s the CEO of the very same employee wellness firm his company contracted with—Charlotte, NC-based Healthstat Inc.—Crockett is even more of a believer in the idea.

Crockett will share his experiences as a leader in the onsite employee wellness and health programs field at our 7th Annual BioSciences Forum on Friday, Oct. 28, at the NC Biotechnology Center in Research Triangle Park. His talk is titled “Innovations in Primary Care Through On-Site Clinic Delivery.”

He graciously answered the following questions to give us a sneak preview of his presentation:

Q: What are the top 3 innovations in primary care that on-site clinics have made possible?

A: Greater access to primary care; overall improvement of employees’ health; and the fact that employers experience greater control over their healthcare spending and productivity.

Q: One of our other speakers, Harry Reynolds of IBM, has said that the health care industry can learn a lot from the retail industry, citing the trend toward health clinics in drug stores, etc. Do you agree, and if so why?

A: I agree. Following the retail model allows for improved access to the delivery of care. The retail industry also has a better understanding of the buying patterns of their customers. This translates into delivering care that meets the needs of the patient (who is the customer) rather than the provider.

Q: Why do employees consider workplace clinics one of the top employee benefits?

A: Employees have a trusted advisor who serves as an advocate by helping them with their own healthcare needs in addition to helping them navigate through a complex healthcare system. We are able to deliver this service conveniently within the workplace setting at little or no cost to the employee.

Q: What benefits do companies derive when they turn all or a portion of their employee health care over to a company like yours to manage?

A: Healthstat is able to assist in the delivery of a company’s plan design and coordinate the employee’s biometric screening data with claims analysis at the point of care. The employer then has a valuable tool to contain cost and improve productivity while providing an employee benefit that is second to none.

Q: What is one surprising thing you’ve learned in your years in this industry?

A: The healthcare industry is very complex and decentralized, yet the solution for the improvement in health can be simple as long as you have aligned values and common goals.

There’s still time to register for the 7th Annual BioSciences Forum! Click here for more details and registration information.

Richard Kouri, Ph.D.
Executive Director, BioSciences Management Initiative
Department of Management, Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Jenkins Graduate School of Management
Poole College of Management, NC State University