City Council members seemed receptive to the idea, presented at Tuesday’s meeting. It could save $80,000 over three years and improve productivity.

But the plan is still in its early stages, and officials would like to get other cities involved.

The clinic would provide free routine medical care, such as physicals and allergy shots. It would make only three appointments per hour, so employees wouldn’t lose two to three hours of work going to their own doctor. It would be open 20 hours a week.

The health insurance plan would remain intact.

Why: The city hopes it would promote productivity and reduce absenteeism; workers could save money.

After the city switched from a health maintenance organization to a high-deductible health plan this year, employees complained that routine visits to the doctor cost more.

“Our employees really, really like the idea,” Bedford Human Resources Director Jill McAdams said.

Who: The city would contract with a company, such as Nashville-based CareHere, which provides 70 onsite clinics for public and private employers in 12 states, including one in Parker County, CareHere consultant Mark J. Barta said. “The employees get very attached,” Barta said. “Not only do we try to save money, we try to take care of the employee.”

How much: The estimated start-up costs are $100,000 a year, which would pay for the building, supplies and staffing, McAdams said.

But the city would save $80,000 over three years, after expenses. The city could also save $600,000 over three years in gained productivity and reductions in lost time.

Other cities: Garland transformed its workers compensation clinic into a full family practice five years ago for its 2,200 employees, Garland risk management director Robby Neill said.

The self-supporting clinic — which has its own physician, nurse practitioners and support staff — costs $600,000 a year and saves the city $500,000 a year in medical costs after expenses, Neill said.

Carrollton is expected to open its clinic in the fall and is looking for another city to team up with, said the city’s work-force service director, Erin Reinhart.

What’s next? Bedford officials plan to meet with other city and school district personnel to gauge their interest. CareHere would put together a cost-benefit report that would analyze what individual cities’ savings would be. Bedford would then host a meeting with area city managers around late August. The cities would have to establish interlocal agreements, and their councils would have to approve their participation. Bedford officials are also looking for a location for the clinic, which could open in January at the earliest.

Source: Star-Telegram.com
Original Publication Date: July 26, 2008