Earning an A+ in Healthcare
How schools are making the grade in employee benefits
By Ray Tomlinson, President of Crowne Consulting Group
Healthcare expenses are ballooning nationwide, but forward-thinking school districts have taken matters into their own hands to push down costs. Districts across Florida are finding value in providing primary-care services for employees at or near the worksite. Employees visiting onsite health and wellness centers enjoy increased access to low-cost preventative care, which is helping employers to lower average healthcare costs.
Florida-based Crowne Consulting Group has become the state’s one-stop-shop for implementing and maintaining onsite care programs. Crowne collaborates with the medical experts at Tennessee-based CareHere, LLC to operate nearly 30 on- or near-site health and wellness centers throughout Florida, including centers for several school districts.
In addition to physicians, the staff typically includes nurses, dieticians, exercise physiologists, and other medical staff. Patients access a wide range of services, including x-rays and physicals, as well as comprehensive treatment for conditions like high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and diabetes.
Patients make their own appointments online or by phone for a 20-minute visit with a doctor. They can reserve additional time with the physician if needed, and they never have to pay a copay. What’s more, patients can walk out of their appointment with a free generic prescription in hand. This ease of use and cost-free care keeps utilization high. Diverting a large portion of doctor visits to the controlled-cost centers keeps outside health claims cost significantly lower.
“Our costs for the health centers, including operations and administration, are approximately 30 to 70 percent less than what employers are paying under the fee-for-service model,” according to Ray Tomlinson, president of Crowne Consulting Group.
Crowne’s client Pasco County Schools offers four Employee Health & Wellness Centers for over 8,000 employees, retirees, and dependents. Within the first year of opening its first center, the district reduced health costs 5 percent, saving over $2 Million. The district was also able to flatten prescription drug expenses and reduce workers’ compensation costs by 50 percent.
In addition to Pasco County Schools, Crowne has helped Citrus County Schools, Lake County Schools, and St. Johns County Schools to save millions of dollars in healthcare costs, while enhancing care for employees. Newcomers Levy County Schools, which opened earlier this year, and Indian River Schools, slated to open in September, are poised for similar results.
Remember that when considering the launch of any cost-saving healthcare solution, experience is most important. Visit owd.dev/PCHP/CrowneGroup/wp and contact Crowne Consulting Group’s team at 407.654.5414 to learn about their years of expertise in serving school districts.