The Value of On-Site Health Centers

Introduction

Employers are continually searching for ways to improve the health of their employees, control health care costs while still providing quality health care and provide benefits that their employees will truly value. One potential solution is the development and use of on-site health centers (OHCs). OHCs are not a new concept; they have been used to address occupational health needs for decades. However, in recent years innovative employers have looked to redesign OHCs, transforming them from occupational health clinics to health centers that treat both the acute and chronic medical needs of their employees.

To assist employers that are considering establishing an OHC or those that already have such centers but would like to improve or expand their offerings, the National Business Group on Health has developed this toolkit, The Value of On-Site Health Centers. Because opening an OHC is a major undertaking, with design and implementation unique to each company, the toolkit offers general guidance for determining the key strategic and operational answers that need to be addressed in order for your center to be a success.

• Complete Toolkit available for download.

Toolkit Components

• Making the Business Case: What is the Evidence on Cost Savings?: Provides a summary of the evidence of the value of these centers and cost savings associated with them.
  
  
• Strategic Decision Guide: Questions to Consider before Opening an On-Site Health Center: Outlines the key decisions that an employer needs to make in order to guide the development of an OHC.
  
  
• Operational Decision Guide: Reviews the important decisions that need to be made when opening a health center, such as the amount of space needed, hours of operation and cost-sharing arrangements.
  
  
• Evaluation Measures: Discusses the right metrics to use to track and quantify the cost and benefits of OHCs.
  
  
• Vendor Assessment Tool: Provides a summary of important questions you may want to ask OHC providers to help you determine if they are the right partner (or partners) for you.
  
  
• Using Communications to Drive Utilization: Presents tactics and timelines you should consider when developing your communications strategy.
  
  
• Wish We Had Known: Key Lessons From Employers: Employers that have "been there" provide insight into what they wish they knew before they started down the path of opening an OHC.
  
  

Business Group Resources

On-Site Health Centers: Policies to Preserve and Promote an Effective Employer Solution - Given the continuing evolution of on-site health centers in meeting critical needs in today’s market and the changing regulatory framework under which they operate, we re-examine on-site health centers and review potential approaches for the appropriate regulatory environment for these centers.

Employer Case Studies: Provides links to Business Group member case studies related to OHCs.

• Sprint Corporation (March 2010)
• Cerner Corporation (August 2009)
• Cisco Systems, Inc. (August 2009)