Does implementing an Onsite Clinic seem like an insurmountable task? It doesn't have to! Although each implementation varies from company to company, there are key areas of focus for all companies to consider to get the ball rolling in the right direction. We compiled a list of eight critical steps to follow for implementing an onsite clinic below.
The first step to implementing your onsite clinic is determining if it's right for your organization. Onsite clinics aren’t a one size fits all, and they may not be the best option for every company. Real savings begin to happen with an employee base over 300. At that scale a clinic becomes not just affordable but beneficial to your bottom line.
Often the largest component of the feasibility of an onsite clinic is not just the size of the population, it is the culture that exists within the organization. The entire spectrum of your organization needs to be aligned with the purpose of brining care to the workplace, it doesn’t mean 100% of the workforce will be on board but multi-tier support is invaluable.
But you don’t have to go it alone. Sharing a clinic is an option! Consider partnering with another business in your area to create a shared clinic and reap the benefits together.
Do you have space for a clinic within your current facility? If not, a near-site clinic can work too. A 1,000-1,400 square foot clinic space will work great for many employers. As far as necessities, the space must be easily connected to utilities.
The next step in implementing an onsite clinic is to determine who in your employee group will be eligible. Will your patient population be just employees or employees plus their dependents? Most of our clients have decided to cover dependents too because up to ⅔ of benefits costs are in the dependent base. This is often a welcome benefit to your employees!
When your business has employee scale and growing healthcare costs, once your clinic is up and running your savings can easily reach seven figures. Every month you wait transfers more of your resources to the traditional healthcare industry. The opening date of your on-site clinic is up to you.
What? Yes, marketing of your onsite clinic is a completely necessary step in implementation. An on-site clinic is a great benefit to your employees and their families. But only if they use it. The sooner you can drive utilization the sooner you’ll see results.
Effective and regular communication of the opportunity and convenience an on-site clinic provides is the first step. We’ve also found that open houses and meet and greets with the clinic staff help to start things off.
Here’s the great news: The dollars are already in your budget. You don’t need to find new funds to make this happen. The dollars for establishing a clinic come out of your health plan account, not your general fund.
When it’s time to get started, we’re happy to help with finance advice and best practices learned from our current clients. Download our free Budget Builder to estimate your total onsite clinic costs.
This is easier than you might think. Your in-house facilities team may be able to handle everything, or we can help you find a great contractor team. Our Clinic Standards Manual will guide every decision along the way.
The last step in implementing an onsite clinic is staffing. Build the proper team for your employee/dependent population. We’re strong believers in hiring talented, motivated, board-certified physicians and staff.
Are you considering an Onsite Clinic? Contact us! We’d love to chat and help you determine if an Onsite Clinic is right for you.