The Doctor Comes to You

Bucyrus International, the South Milwaukee manufacturer of mining equipment, has expanded its employee health care center to address more than emergency medical needs.

The center now offers physical exams, influenza shots and help with wellness issues such as quitting smoking.

It’s more than an emergency medical clinic but is not supposed to replace an employee’s primary physician, said Kent Henschen, director of corporate communications.

Take Care Health Employer Solutions, which is owned by Walgreens Co., has been contracted by Bucyrus to run the clinic. Take Care operates 370 workplace health centers and pharmacies for 183 clients in 44 states, Washington, D.C., and Guam, according to its Web site.

Medical services at the Bucyrus clinic are for current employees, not retirees. The services are offered for free or low cost, but the number of visits to the clinic is limited before an employee has to return to their regular physician.

Much of the emphasis is on wellness and preventive medicine to lower long-term health care costs for employees and the company.

“It’s as much about taking care of yourself as anything. The idea is to make it convenient for people so they’re more willing to do regular health maintenance,” Henschen said.

Bucyrus did not reveal the cost of expanding its clinic.

More manufacturers are taking a similar approach to health care to lower their long-term medical costs.

“We are hearing more and more from members who are taking a wellness, lifestyle-oriented approach to addressing health care costs in Wisconsin,” said R.J. Pirlot, legislative director for Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce, a trade organization.

“The root of WMC’s health care reform agenda is a recognition that a person’s lifestyle and health status is a large determinant of the costs they are going to incur down the road,” Pirlot said. “So we have been encouraging both the state Legislature and companies to promote both public and private sector initiatives to help people quit smoking, get a handle on their weight and exercise. There are a number of consulting companies working with manufacturers on this. They don’t have to do it on their own.”

Source: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Original Publication Date: October 2, 2008