Workplace Health Services Blog

The fact that onsite health clinics improve employee wellness and reduce employer healthcare costs is well documented.

As Susan J. Wells said in her article, “The Doc Is In-House,” in the April, 2006 issue of HR Magazine, “according to a study published in the December 2005 issue of the American Journal of Preventative Medicine, employers can see a return of $3 to $6 for each dollar spent over two to five years on workplace health program strategies, which include medical screenings, financial perks for participation in health programs, health education classes, healthier food in the cafeteria and onsite clinics.”

It just makes sense. Healthier, more motivated, better informed employees don’t require as much healthcare and, when they do, they’re able to access it onsite at a lower cost.

But can onsite health clinics help employers effectively manage one of the most challenging and costly and of all healthcare issues: workers’ compensation claims?

Absolutely, and in several important ways:

When an injury occurs, the employee can be immediately treated onsite at a fixed cost much lower than the rates paid for Emergency Room care. And, even if the employee receives offsite ER care initially, he or she can access all necessary follow-up care onsite, again at a much lower fixed cost.

By combining the occupational health expertise of the onsite medical staff with the risk management skills of the safety staff, the company can develop an effective injury prevention program. An inter-disciplinary approach to analyzing processes and identifying risks should significantly reduce the number of injuries that result in workers’ comp claims.

The clinic’s medical staff should streamline the company’s case management efforts, ensuring that injured employees return to work as quickly as possible. Not only will workers receive the proper onsite follow-up care during rehabilitation, they will be placed in appropriate light duty positions while transitioning back to their job. Thus, risk of re-injury is minimized.

Workers’ comp claims are a huge headache for most employers. Consider onsite health clinics as big bottles of aspirin.

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