The Doctor Comes to You

CHD Meridian Healthcare, an I-trax, Inc. company (AMEX: DMX), announced the planned opening of 14 new health centers for LyondellBasell Industries. The health centers will serve approximately 4,600 employees in Texas, Ohio, Iowa, Illinois and Pennsylvania.

The provision of health, pharmacy and wellness services at the workplace is a growing trend. According to a recent survey by Watson Wyatt and the National Business Group on Health, employers are continuing to invest in on-site employee health and wellness centers to control healthcare spending. Easy access to quality care yields cost savings by addressing health events before they require costly emergency room visits, hospital stays, and other care.

“Expanding our occupational health centers was a natural decision for us because we have a vested interest in the health and safety of our employees,” said Jeff Bonorden, manager, Industrial Health & Medical, Lyondell Chemical Company, Houston, TX. “We’ve found that providing care in the workplace improves our employees’ health, productivity and job satisfaction.”

Implementation of four sites has been completed, three more sites will open in the first quarter of 2008, and the remainder of the locations will open by the end of the year. The centers will provide an array of occupational health services including medical surveillance screenings, workers’ compensation injury care, non-occupational medical care and case management. CHD Meridian will operate a total of 15 sites for Lyondell once all of the sites are open.

“At a time when multiple solutions are being proposed to improve healthcare, many of the nation’s largest companies are finding workplace healthcare to be a cost-effective solution,” said R. Dixon Thayer, chief executive officer of CHD Meridian Healthcare. “As more businesses recognize the value of providing healthcare at the workplace, we are implementing similar on-site programs across the country for multiple organizations. Workplace health reduces random access to care by employees, results in real cost savings, and helps companies achieve employer of choice status.”

Source: CNNMoney.com
Original Publication Date: January 29, 2008