Purpose
We aim to show how reorganizing wellness tracks will keep patients engaged and provide more options for repeat users of this service. By following guideline directed lab testing and altering the current incentive model, Healthy Horizons will be able to provide additional services such as personal trainers, nutrition classes, and events open to the community.
Background
The Case for an Onsite Clinic:
Onsite Clinics such as Healthy Horizons are integrative health centers that are conveniently located in the vicinity of the business. These centers provide health services for workplace employees and offer convenient resources which aid wellness without having to leave the vicinity.1 These clinics are staffed by healthcare practitioners such as pharmacists, nurse practitioners, or physician assistants. The services provided include wellness screenings, smoking cessation programs, health and dietary education, diabetes and triglyceride screenings, and medication therapy management.1,2,3 These clinics fall under the “Implementation” side of the Workplace Health Model from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).2 This model provides a blueprint for creating and maintaining a healthy workforce through proper access to care, provider services tailored to individual needs, and insight on how to properly address common health problems related to the workplace.3
Current Trends:
The model of onsite clinics and health centers are evolving and becoming popular across the country. In the hospital setting, these centers focus on integrative and preventative health measures to meet the goals of the new value-based reimbursement models in the current healthcare system.4 Employees value the on-site convenience and time-saving opportunities that these clinics offer while employers know that the conveniences these sites offer can help maintain a healthy workforce, which is essential for productivity and health insurance savings. With that, companies are seeing the value of investing in on-site clinics and wellness centers. According to the National Association of Workplace Health Centers (NAWHC) the number of onsite health centers grew by 24% from 2012 to 2017.1
Pharmacists ability to contribute:
The pharmacist’s role in patient care is evolving rapidly. Over the years, the pharmacist has become an essential player in healthcare. Ambulatory care pharmacists like those found at Healthy Horizons, provide a variety of services including medication therapy management, blood glucose and triglyceride screenings, blood pressure checks, nutrition counseling, and smoking cessation.5,6 Because of their first-hand knowledge of lifestyle management and medications role within a patient’s life, pharmacist can play a key role in promoting proper diet and exercise strategies while assessing patients’ current medication therapies with the goal of reducing their dependence on various medications. Their experiences in the community setting give them the tools and expertise to implement effective patient care plans in clinics like Healthy Horizons.
Healthy Horizons Currently:
Currently, Healthy Horizons offers wellness consults, health coaching, health management and laboratory services, diabetes education, medication management, tobacco cessation, and nutrition services. However, the service has a focus on annual wellness consults and health coaching. After completing an annual wellness visit, which has an incentive of $100, employees have the ability to earn an additional $150 by completing one of two tracks. Employees are placed in a track based on BMI and A1c, which determines if they will need to complete 2 or 5 visits within 12 months to earn the incentive. Returning employees do not have another option besides completing one of the two tracks again each year. Additionally, a significant portion of the current operating budget is used to run lab tests during annual wellness visits and when patients request them. This frequency of testing is not currently based on appropriate guidelines.6
Introduction
The Healthy Horizons program provides comprehensive wellness visits that aim to promote healthy living of the faculty and staff. All members of the Butler University faculty and staff, as well as their spouses, who are enrolled in the University’s group health plan are eligible for the services. Services currently include an annual Wellness Consult, which entails an individualized appointment with a clinical faculty of the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, lasting around 45 minutes. These appointments consist of a body composition analysis, complete lipid panel, blood glucose and blood pressure assessment, as well as recommendations for specific screenings, vaccinations, and strategies to help improve employees’ overall health. Based on the Wellness Consult, employees are able to participate in Health Coaching sessions, which include personalized time with a pharmacist to provide guidance and support in achieving their health goals. Recently, there has been an opportunity to revisit the services provided and the incentive program. We hope to provide a proper restructuring of the unique services already available through Healthy Horizons in an attempt to offer new opportunities for returning participants of the service. Additionally, our recommendations should provide cost savings where possible, and lead participants in a strong foundation of preventative health strategies.6
Citations:
- What is an Onsite Clinic? National Association of Worksite Health Centers (NAWHC) https://www.nawhc.org/What-is-an-Onsite-Clinic. Accessed 13 November 2019
- Workplace Health Promotion. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/workplacehealthpromotion/index.html. Web. Accessed 14 November 2019
- Onsite Clinics. Web. https://www.concentra.com/onsite-clinics/ Accessed 14 November 2019
- Ullman K. Wellness Centers, No Longer Hospital Gimmicks, Becoming Money-Making Population Health Engines. Healthcare Finance. https://www.healthcarefinancenews.com/news/wellness-centers-no-longer-hospital-gimmicks-become-money-making-population-health-engines. Web. 17 August 2015. Accessed 14 November 2019.
- Medication Therapy Management Services. American Pharmacists Association (APhA). https://www.pharmacist.com/medication-therapy-management-services. Accessed 14 November 2019.
- Healthy Horizons. Butler University. Web. https://www.butler.edu/healthyhorizons Accessed 13 November 2019